APRIL-JUNE/1978
No, but it would go a long way in that direction. Put it together with
this quarter's Sabbath School lessons and you'll have the basis for
righteousness by faith.
It is no secret among our friends, or among our critics either, that the
subject of
righteous-
ness by faith
is at pres-
ent enjoying a deep
and fervent considera-
tion in the ranks of
thoughtful Christians
everywhere.
The greatest aids to
the explanation of
such terms as justifica-
tion and sanctification
are found in a close
study of the simple ob-
ject lessons used by
our Lord, and this is
where Gordon Hyde
has contributed his
best thoughts through
the pages of this book.
It is when the profound
is placed in a simple
setting that the un-
learned and the
scholar both stand in
amazement.
This very readable and
interesting treatise is designed to introduce every reader to an expe-
riential knowledge of the grace of Christ.
RAGS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
by Gordon Hyde.
Available now for
$3.50
at your Adventist Book Center.
Brought to you by Pacific Press Publishing Association.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS
.
7 40-4444liaitivt
P.O. BOX H.G. 100. HIGHLANDS. SALISBURY. RHODESIA. AFRICA
RI L. MILLS. PRESIDENT
R. E. CLIFFORD. SECRETARY
N. S. MUSGRAYE. TREASURER
A. N. AUSTEN., FIELD SECRETARY
Dear Fellow Sabbath School Members around the World:
The Trans-Africa Division wishes to thank all the members of the world
Sabbath School for their generous support of the Thirteenth Sabbath
Special Project Offering, taken on March 27, 1976. As a result we have
upgraded the physical plant and expanded the academic program of our
secondary school at Inyazura, Rhodesia. This is one of our feeder schools
for Solusi College. The offering also made it possible to plan definitely
for the erection of new church buildings in the capital cities of the
developing homelands in the Southern Union. This tangible evidence of
your concern fdr, and interest in these specific projects has brought
great rejoicing to the hearts of both laity and workers.
Now we are eagerly anticipating your support in the Thirteenth Sabbath
Special Project Offering which has been designated for our Division and
which will be received on June 24 of this quarter. Judging from your
past loyalty and generous gifts we feel confident that this will be
another major boost, giving impetus to the Lord's work in this part of
Africa. We plan to use the funds to construct an evangelistic center
in Kinshasa, the capital of the French-speaking country of Zaire. This
is the second largest French-speaking city in the world, and one of the
largest cities in Africa. Yet, despite the fact our work has been estab-
lished for 50 years in Zaire, we have only one small congregation in
Kinshasa, meeting in a church building which is poorly located in a
market area. To build this evangelistic complex will be costly, for
both land and building materials are excessively high. Nevertheless,
it is imperative that we meet this challenge if the millions of inhab-
itants of this metropolis are to be reached with the message of the
great Advent. It is our hope to establish this building as near to the
heart of the city as possible.
•
We are also planning to develop a field headquarters in connection with
this complex as well as a dental and medical clinic. However, this
will depend upon the size of the offering received on June 24. We shall
be indebted to you for your prayers and support in helping us achieve
this objective.
With Christian greetings from Trans-Africa, I remain,
Your brother in Christ,
d=17
1'
(4
4 Z
/
*
C9"
1
Merle L. Mills, President
1-ASSL 2-78
How well do you know your Bible?
Do you have to ask your pastor or Bible instructor to
answer those difficult Bible questions your associates are
asking?
It is just a matter of time before what you have in your
head is all you will be able to depend on.
If your B Q is down, daily lesson study will help you to get
prepared for the soon-coming conflict.
DAYBREAK
SERIES
Adult Sabbath School Lessons / No. 332, April-June, 1978
Confor
1. We Need Him
2. We Are Drawn by Him
3. We Are Sorry
4. We Wronged Him
5. We Trust Him
6. We Yield to Him
7. We Are Forgiven Through Him
8. We Are Born Again
9. We Are at Peace
10. We Consecrate Ourselves
11. We Bear Fruit
12.
We Have Great Promises
13.
We Are Righteous by Faith
The Adult Sabbath School Lessons are prepared by the Sabbath School Department of
the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of the lessons is
directed by a worldwide Sabbath School Lesson Committee, the members of which serve
as consulting editors.
Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012
Lesson Author: Gordon M. Hyde
Editor: W. Richard Lesher
Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore
Circulation Manager: Arthur R. Mazat
Art and Design: Pacific Press
Illustration for Lesson 9 by Dale Rusch, Persuasive Productions
Scripture references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this quarterly are as follows:
NEB. From
The New English Bible,
copyright © by the Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of
the Cambridge University Press 1961 and 1970. Reprinted by permission of Cambridge University Press, New York
City.
Phillips.
From
The New Testament in Modern English,
revised edition, copyright © 1958, 1959, 1960, 1972, by
J. B. Phillips. Used by permission of The Macmillan Company and Collins Publishers.
RSV. From the
Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright © 1946 (renewed ©1973),1952 and 1971, by the Division
of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and used by permission.
Braille lessons available. See page 112.
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (standard edition). Published quarterly by Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View, California 94042, U.S.A. One
year subscription in U.S.A., $1.80; single copy, 45 cents. One year subscription to
countries outside U.S.A., $2.40; single copy, 60 cents. All prices at U.S.A. exchange.
Second-class postage paid at Mountain View, California 94042, U.S.A. When a change of
address is desired, please send both old and new addresses.
Copyright 1978 by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Just what your
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THE PATH OF FAITH
Introduction
To hear some presentations of the gospel of Jesus Christ is to gain the impression that
only a special group—a handpicked few—have, or can have what is required to become
righteous, and thus to be fitted for heaven.
Some fear to attend meetings or read publications that deal with righteousness by faith
because they are sure beforehand that it is beyond all but those with a built-in capacity to
reach heaven and gain eternal life.
It is the object of this series of Sabbath School lessons to clear away any basis for such
fears or hesitations. Dear Sabbath School member, heaven is for
you!
And you too can
understand the way to get there! In fact, "As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven
begins here.... Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ.... All that
human nature can bear, we may receive here. But what is this compared with the
hereafter?"—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 331, 332.
We want to study together this quarter some of the first major steps which we must take
on the path of faith in Jesus. We shall look at our need of Jesus, the way His love draws us
to Him, how we come to be sorry for our sins, and what we can do with them. We shall try to
understand better how simple faith is, and how to use it in surrender of ourselves to His
control. We shall reassure ourselves of His willingness to forgive us and to make us new
creations in
Himself.
We shall feel the depth of the peace He offers and the joy of giving
ourselves fully to Him. We shall marvel anew at the almost unbelievable promises He
makes, sense the joy of bearing His fruit in our lives as we accept Him and become
righteous by faith.
We have decided to concentrate our study on the writings'of the apostle John—his
Gospel, his Epistles, and the Revelation. But we draw occasionally on other inspired
witnesses to fill out some of the picture. We gratefully draw on the special counsel to this
remnant people by the spirit of prophecy.
It is possible that many will feel that some important principle or emphasis has been
overlooked in this series of lessons. And that should not be cause for surprise. We will
readily recognize that there are other steps on the path of faith besides those covered this
quarter. Although we deal with fruit bearing in the Christian life, there is more to be said
about the full process of growing up into Christ, about conquering doubt, about the
Christian's work and witness, about the life of prayer and the evidences which confirm our
conversion. Much more can be said about the ties between these steps to Christ and His
work in the heavenly sanctuary and the closing of that work. Righteousness by faith as a
special emphasis in our history is a most profitable study. But, again, let us remember
that we do not have to resolve the issues raised during our history before we can
personally enter into the peaceful and joyous experience of righteousness by faith. The
first and essential steps are covered in the lessons we are about to study together this
quarter.
Oh that we each might believe Him and thus know His presence before this quarter
closes! Let us study, pray, and witness with and for each other.
7
LESSON 1 March 26 to April 1
"In him was life; and the life was the
light of men" (John 1:4).
It has so often been said that the
greatest certainty in life is death. And it
is equally true that death plays no
favorites. The man who plants seed,
the woman who drives a city bus,
people bordering on the edge of
starvation, and those who are
overfed—all of these alike face the
inevitable grave.
In this respect the believer in Jesus
Christ is not different from the
unbeliever. It is only when we talk of
life beyond death—eternal life, life
without end—that there is a difference
between the one who believes, and
the one who believes not.
In spite of every effort of medical
science there appears to be no way to
stretch generally useful and happy
human life much beyond fourscore
years. Occasionally reports claim
life-spans of 130 or even 150 years. At
least some age-claims come from
places where there is no reliable or
official record of birth dates. So when
a person dies it becomes not a little
difficult to decide how long he has
lived! Though we may accept these
reports at face value, still even the
sesquicentenarian will soon die.
But more than all of this, most
people live in heavy darkness. Not
physical perhaps, but mental, moral
and social darkness—not to mention
darkness of the spirit, of the soul.
Some keep "happy" by a full life of
busyness, others by perpetual
self-indul&ence. But there comes a day
or reckoning, a day of facing life's
greatest reality alone, and so often
without hope.
How much we need Him who has
life in Himself—He who is able and
willing to give that divine life to meil,m
.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Healer
(John 5:6)
2.
"A Spring of Water"
(John 4:14)
3.
"The Light of the World"
(John 8:12)
4.
"The Bread of Life"
(John 6:35)
5.
"The Good Shepherd"
(John 10:11)
6.
"The Way"
(John 14:6)
We Need Him
LESSON 1
❑
Sunday
March 26
Part 1
What do you think was the purpose of Jesus' question?
HEALER
"When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying
there a long time, he said to him, 'Do you want to be healed?' "
(John 5:6, RSV).
Can we by imagination put ourselves in the place of this
sufferer by the sheep pool in Jerusalem? Think of being help-
less for some 38 years from a crippling disease. Then think of
having your hopes raised periodically by the expectation
created from a long-standing tradition that the one who could
show the greatest selfishness by making himself first to enter
the pool at a certain season by a certain sign would be healed.
Can you imagine the jealousy and enmity that would develop
among these poor sufferers by the pool as each was forced to
regard every other person there as his potential enemy, virtually
his destroyer? Some would have helpers to assist them in gain-
ing an advantage over those having no help. Some would edge
their way to the pool periodically, to the very brink, so that they
might be the happy first person to jump or fall or roll into the
water.
To one such a sufferer, who had borne 38 years of misery and
undoubted self-condemnation, Jesus said with sympathy and
concern, "Do you want to be healed?"
THINK IT THROUGH
How does this healing of the cripple illustrate our need of
Christ?
Do you find yourself contending with the selfish, scrambling
crowd? Do you find others stronger than yourself taking advan-
tage of your weakness? Do you feel alone and friendless, shut
out from God's mercy? Have you been striving repeatedly to
meet a lifelong objective, only to be disappointed again and
again until your strength and hope are about to give out?
How we need today to hear that voice of tenderness and see
that countenance of compassion offering to us the help which
Christ alone can bring!
Do you want to be healed?
"He bids you arise in health and peace. Do not wait to feel that
you are made whole. Believe His word, and it will be fulfilled. Put
your will on the side of Christ. Will to serve Him, and in acting
upon His word you will receive strength. Whatever may be the
evil practice, the master passion which through long in-
dulgence binds both soul and body, Christ is able and longs to
deliver. He will impart life to the soul that is 'dead in trespasses.'
Eph. 2:1. He will set free the captive that is held by weakness and
misfortune and the chains of sin."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 203.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 201-203.
10
We Need Him
LESSON 1
❑
Monday
March 27
Part 2
What does it mean that the water Jesus gives will become a
"A SPRING
spring?
OF WATER"
"Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never
thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a
spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14, RSV).
(See John 7:37-39.)
Some who study this lesson today will know from cruel ex-
perience what it means to be really thirsty. And those who know
this by experience have a gratitude for a supply of water which is
unknown to those who have always turned on the faucet and
received all the water they could use.
The Bible land in which Jesus grew up and ministered was
one that treasured its supplies of water. Large pools were cut
from the rock to provide storage for water when it came in the
rainy seasons so that there would be a supply during the rain-
less summer. Wells were also dug to assure a water supply.
An adequate water supply was essential for establishment of
a village or town. He who had an unfailing well on his property
was wealthy indeed. More often than not the well was shared by
all in the community and even by strangers and travelers.
Think, then, of the Samaritan woman, coming alone and in
the heat of the day to draw water at Sychar. Generally the
women of a village came to the well at the same time, morning
and evening. They enjoyed it as a social occasion, a time of
chatter and laughter. Did she come alone because her sinful life
made her an outcast?
How easily Jesus knocked at the door of her heart by talking
to her about water—His physical need and her spiritual one.
THINK IT THROUGH
Are there hidden veins of sin in your life which have drained
off and dried up the wells of salvation?
"He who tastes of the love of Christ will continually long for
more; but he seeks for nothing else. The riches, honors, and
pleasures of the world do not attract him. The constant cry of his
heart is, More of Thee. And He who reveals to the soul its
necessity is waiting to satisfy its hunger and thirst. Every human
resource and dependence will fail. The cisterns will be emptied,
the pools become dry; but our Redeemer is an inexhaustible
fountain. We may drink, and drink again, and ever find a fresh
supply. He in whom Christ dwells has within himself the foun-
tain of blessing,—'a well of water springing up into everlasting
life.' From this source he may draw strength and grace suffi-
cient for all his needs."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 187.
Do you need a spring of water welling up to eternal life within
your soul? Then you need Him.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 183-188.
11
2-ASSL 2-78
We Need Him
LESSON 1
❑
Tuesday
March 28
Part 3
"THE LIGHT OF
THE WORLD"
How did Jesus symbolize Himself at the Feast of Taberna-
cles? Why is this symbol appropriate?
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of
the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but
shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).
We have seen Jesus portrayed as the Healer of disease, physi-
cal and spiritual. We have seen Him as the Source of springs of
living water welling up unto eternal life. Now we see Him por-
trayed as the Light of the world.
Our modern electrically illuminated world is not too well able
to appreciate the preciousness of light. Some can recall the
days when oil lamps and candles were the main means of
dispelling the darkness. But when Jesus announced Himself as
the Light of the world, it was on the occasion of the Feast of
Tabernacles, when two great lamps cast their glow over the city
of Jerusalem and the temple courts. This was to be a reminder of
the pillar of light that guided Israel in the desert, and it also was
regarded as pointing to the coming of the Messiah.
Were the feast lamps adequate to represent the Light of the
world?
"As the radiant lamps of the temple lighted up all about them,
so Christ, the source of spiritual light, illumines the darkness of
the world. Yet the symbol was imperfect. That great light which
His own hand had set in the heavens was a truer representation
of the glory of His mission."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 463.
Light is vital to sustaining life. Even the faint light of the
winter's sun makes a difference to the growth of plants and
grasses. Light is the only answer to darkness, and it is appro-
priate that the apostle Peter, recalling the symbol which Christ
had used of Himself, assured, us, "We have also a more sure
word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as
unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:19).
THINK IT THROUGH
In what areas of life has the light of heaven not shone into
my heart and upon the road before me?
Christ "was the spiritual light that in symbol and type and
prophecy had shone upon Israel. But not to the Jewish nation
alone was the light given. As the sunbeams penetrate to the .
remotest corners of the earth, so does the light of the Sun of
Righteousness shine upon every soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
p.
464.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 463-465.
12
We Need Him
LESSON 1
❑
Wednesday
March 29
Part 4
"THE BREAD
OF LIFE"
THINK IT THROUGH
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that
cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me
shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
In what way do you understand Jesus to be the "bread of
life"?
In addition to water and light there is the necessity for
nourishment of the body. Without food a person will starve and
die.
But here again Jesus is not only the giver of the bread that
sustains physical life; but, as our text clearly indicates, He is
speaking of a soul hunger which He alone can satisfy.
-
The Jewish people reminded Christ that in the wilderness
Moses had given them bread from heaven, the manna (verses
31-33). Correcting their memory of who was the true giver—
God, not Moses—Jesus took the symbol of bread from heaven
to illustrate His own coming dawn from heaven to give
spiritual
life. The manna in the wilderness had sustained only
physical
life.
The sustenance of thousands of people in their travels
through an unproductive desert was clearly a miracle of God's
grace and power. It is just as miraculous to obtain eternal life. It
is not the result of man's searching after God, but the result of
man's partaking of heavenly bread—Jesus who came from God
to man.
Just as Jesus had offered the woman at the well a spring of
water that would be to her eternal life, He now offers Himself as
the bread which alone can sustain eternal life.
How would you compare the bread of life which Jesus offers
with the tree of life that was available to Adam and Eve in the
garden?
When Adam and Eve were cut off from access to the tree of
life, God made known the provision of the "seed of the woman,"
who would come to intervene in the battle between man and
Satan. This was a wonderful manifestation of God's love, as well
as a clear indication of the human need for Christ. The tree of
life could have sustained the lives of Adam and Eve forever.
After sin only belief in Jesus brought eternal life. Will it not be
through Him that we shall regain access to the tree of life? And
with the sin question forever settled, this mortal shall put on
immortality. How beautifully complete and perfect is God's plan
to meet our desperate need!
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 386-391.
13
We Need Him
LESSON 1
❑
Thursday
March 30
Part 5
"THE GOOD
SHEPHERD"
THINK IT THROUGH
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life
for the sheep" (John 10:11).
In what ways is Jesus like a "good shepherd"?
While water and bread were vital to the simple life of the
dwellers in Bible lands in Christ's day, another common sight in
the land, which Christ took to represent Himself and our need of
Him, was that of a shepherd leading his flock. We perhaps see
Him best illustrated in the shepherd who owned the sheep he
cared for. Not in a wealthy man who owned sheep and hired
others to care for his flocks. Nor in the one hired shepherd. The
owner-shepherd's very life was the life of his sheep.
The true shepherd endured storm and pestilence, hunger and
drought and thirst with his sheep. He found for them streams of
clear water and green pastures where they could feed and rest.
He wandered about the land according to the need of his sheep.
He knew each of them by name, and each responded to his
voice. By night he was their protector from thieves and from
wild beasts. When they were near a sheepfold where he could
place them for the night, he was himself the living door to the
fold. It was difficult for any enemy to enter the fold without the
shepherd's knowledge. The good shepherd risked his life for
the sheep. All of this was in contrast to the hireling.
We recall the experiences of the young shepherd David, car-
ing for his father's flocks, and how he had to meet a lion and a
bear to preserve his entrusted treasure.
In the Bible sheep are regarded as helpless, defenseless, and
stupid. (See
SDA Bible Dictionary,
p. 995.) It is not without
reason that they have been known for centuries as "silly" sheep.
They manifest nothing like the intelligence or understanding of
a horse or a dog. Christ chose the sheep to represent us, and the
good shepherd to represent Himself. We, the "silly" sheep, have
perhaps not been sufficiently aware of our need of the Good
Shepherd.
Does the sheep know when it is lost? Can the sheep find its
way home when lost?
"Jesus knows us individually, and is touched with the feeling
of our infirmities. He knows us all by name. He knows the very
house in which we live, the name of each occupant. He has at
times given directions to His servants to go to a certain street in
a certain city, to such a house, to find one of His sheep.
"Every soul is as fully known to Jesus as if
he
were the only
one for whom the Saviour died."—The
Desire of Ages, pp. 479,
480.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 476-484.
14
We Need Him
LESSON 1
❑
Friday
March 31
Part 6
"THE WAY"
THINK IT THROUGH
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).
It is interesting to note that by the time Saul of Tarsus became
burdened to persecute members of the church of Jesus Christ,
they had become known as those who were "of this way" (Acts
9:2). Could • it be that the believers's acceptance of Christ's
declaration of Himself as the way led to this synonym for Chris-
tianity?
We have so many scriptural references to the "way," whether
it is "the way of salvation" (Acts 16:17) or "the way of the Lord"
(Acts 18:25), or simply "way" (Acts 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22).
We yearn to be restored to harmony with God. Christ is the
way. We yearn for victory over the plague spots of character, the
weaknesses that beset us, whether inherited or cultivated.
Christ is the way. We feel lost and bewildered so that we wander
in every direction hoping to find the way. Christ is the way. Are
we consumed with the search for truth? Christ is not only the
way, he is also the truth.
How are life and truth related in Jesus?
He who finds Christ, or rather, he who is willing to be found by
Christ finds not only the way but also the truth. Are we exhaust-
ing our resources in the search for the prolonging of life? As we
come to Christ we find "the way, the truth, and the life." How
more perfectly could Christ represent to us our need and His
complete ability to supply all our human needs?
What way have I been following today? Have I been walking
in the sparks of my own kindling? Have I felt perfectly
adequate and capable of making my own way?
"By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His divinity,
He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave
us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us
power to obey.... So when He [Christ] came 'in the likeness of
man,' He declared Himself the I AM. The Child of Bethlehem, the
meek and lowly Saviour, is God 'manifest in the flesh.' 1 Tim.
3:16. And to us He says, 'I AM the Good Shepherd.' I AM the
living Bread.' I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' All power is
given unto Me in heaven and in earth.' John 10:11; 6:51; 14:6;
Matt. 28:18. I AM the assurance of every promise. I AM; be not
afraid. 'God with us' is the surety of our deliverance from sin, the
assurance of our power to obey the law of heaven."—The
Desire
of Ages,
pp. 24, 25.
What perfect provision Jesus Christ has made for our eternal
salvation! How completely we need Him!
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of
.
Ages,
pp. 292, 293;
Steps to Christ,
"The Sin-
ner's Need of Christ," pp. 17-22.
15
"And I, when I am lifted u
from the earth, will draw all
men to myself" (John 12:32,
RSV).
LESSON 2 April 2-8
Commonly we think that we
become Christians when we go in
search of Christ. It seems hard for us to
recognize that any time that we go to
Christ, He first has come to us and is
continually drawing us to Himself.
Notice the setting in which the
words of our key text above are
spoken. Jesus had recently made His
triumphal entry into the city of
Jerusalem, riding as kings of Israel
did—on a colt. His disciples and the
responsive crowd had shouted
hosannas in His name. Among the
crowds that came up to worship at the
feast were some Greeks. It was they
who made the moving request to
Philip, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."
In response to the request of the
Greeks Jesus began to speak of His
impending death. He had come to be
not Saviour of the Jews only, but also
Saviour of the world. This price He
must pay to make it possible for
people of any nation to be saved from
sin through Him. And as the details of
death by crucifixion came to mind He
asked His Father to save Him from that
hour. But His conviction that it was for
this purpose that He had come into the
world tempered this request.
In faith He invited His Father to
glorify His own name. Immediately
came the response from heaven, "I
have glorified it, and I will glorify it
again" (verse 28). The wondering
crowd heard only what sounded to
them like thunder. Some more
discerning ones suggested that an
angel had spoken to Him. Jesus
insisted that the voice had come not
for His sake but for theirs. And looking
to His crucifixion, almost in tones of
triumph He declared, "Now is the
judgment of this world, now shall the
ruler of this world be cast out; and I,
when I am lifted up from the earth, will
draw all men to myself" (John 12: 31,
32, RSV).
In last week's lesson we studied a
number of illustrations given in the
Gospel of John portraying the fact that
we as sinners are in needof Christ. In
this week's lesson we find assurance
that we not only need Him but that He
is doing everything that heaven can do
to draw us to Him. Christ is the great
lodestone, the heavenly magnet, that
tugs at human hearts, drawing them to
Himself.
When Jesus explained to the crowd
that when He should be lifted up He
would draw all men to Himself, He was
predicting the method by which He
would die, in which He would become
that "grain of wheat" that would fall
into the earth and die in order that it
should not remain alone but rather
that it should bear much fruit. By His
death on the cross Christ would reveal
to everyone the love of God in a way
that would draw individuals to Him.
"If we do not resist this drawing, we
shall be led to the foot of the cross in
repentance for the sins that have
crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit
of God through faith produces a new
life in the soul. The thoughts and
desires are brought into obedience to
the will of Christ. The heart, the mind,
are created anew in the image of Him
who works in us to subdue all things to
Himself. Then the law of God is
written in the mind and heart, and we
can say with Christ,'l delight to do Thy
will, 0 my God.' Ps. 40:
8."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 176.
How is it, dear friend, with you?
Have you been resisting thetugging at
your heartstrings of the love of God in
Christ Jesus?
This week let us study together how
much He loves us, and let us ask
ourselves how we can possibly resist
the tug of His love.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Light for All
(John 1:9)
2.
"Lamb of God"
(John 1:29)
3.
"Come and See"
(John 1:48)
4.
"Born of the Spirit"
(John 3:8)
5.
"Given . . . of My Father"
(John 6:65)
6.
No Orphans Here
(John 14:18)
We Are Drawn by Him
LESSON 2
❑
Sunday
April 2
Part 1
"That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that
LIGHT cometh into the world" (John 1:9).
FOR ALL
What are some ways Jesus "lighteth every man"?
THINK IT THROUGH
There is in these words a rather clear indication that every
man that comes into the world receives some degree of light
from Jesus Christ, "the true Light." As we saw in last week's
lesson, Jesus declares Himself to be the light of the world.
The setting for these words was the contrast drawn between
John the Baptist and Jesus Christ by the apostle John in this first
chapter of his Gospel. John the Baptist was a witness; he came
to bear witness to Him who was the light. The Scripture is clear
that John himself was not the light; but, as John was engaged in
his ministry, He who was indeed the true light was coming to the
forefront. As
The New English Bible
gives it, "The real light
which enlightens every man was even then coming into the
world."
This understanding of John 1:9 harmonizes with the key text
of the week to the effect that all men will be drawn to Christ
through the sacrifice which He made on Calvary's cross. (See
John 12:32.)
Such a concept of God as one whose love is given impartially
to all men, granting to each the opportunity to be enlightened
concerning the love of God in Christ Jesus, agrees with what we
would expect of a God of love.
What examples can you think of which illustrate the fact that
"the true Light" had universal appeal even while He was here
as a man among men? (See John 12:20-23 and Luke 7:1-10.)
Note the inspired comment on the latter:
"To Jesus this [the faith of the centurion] was an earnest of
the work which the gospel was to accomplish among the Gen-
tiles. With joy He looked forward to the gathering of souls from
all nations to His kingdom. With deep sadness He pictured to
the Jews the result of their rejection of His grace: 'I say unto you,
That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down
with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast -out into outer
darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Alas,
how many are still preparing for the same fatal disappointment!
While souls in heathen darkness accept His grace, how many
there are in Christian lands upon whom the light shines only to
be disregarded."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 317, 318.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 464, 465.
18
We Are Drawn
by Him
LESSON 2
❑
Monday
April 3
Part 2
—
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith,
"LAMB OF Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
GOD" world." (John 1:29).
The Saviour who draws all men unto Himself through His
cross and who is the light to lighten every man in the world is
also declared byJohn the Baptist to be "the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world." There is no favoritism here, no
exclusiveness, no partiality. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the
cross of Calvary was sufficient to cover, to cleanse, and to
remove the sins of the world. And what a wealth of significance
is called up by that very expression "the Lamb of God"!
What connection do you see between Jesus and the Old
Testament system of sacrifices?
The whole sacrificial system from the time of the cherubim-
guarded entrance to the Garden of Eden down to the very days
of Jesus Christ Himself could be summed up in the expression
"the Lamb of God."
How much did Abraham understand of the expression, "the
Lamb of God"? (See Gen. 22:1-18; Heb. 11:17-19.)
Abraham had been permitted to spare the life of his son Isaac,
and the ram caught in the thicket out on the mountaintop
provided the substitute for Isaac. So that place was named
thereafter "The Lord will provide" (RSV). But who would substi-
tute for the Son of God? Who would spare the heavenly Father
the agony of separation from His Son as He became the Sin
Bearer, the Lamb of God, the sacrifice and substitute for the
sins of the whole world? There would be no substitute for Him.
Wonder 0 heavens and be astonished 0 earth! Is it any mystery
that Jesus had the power to draw men unto Himself?
THINK IT THROUGH
To what extent have I accepted Jesus as "the Lamb of God"
for me?
"There are not many ways to heaven. Each one may not
choose his own way. Christ says, 'I am the way: . . . no man
cometh unto the Father, but by Me.' Since the first gospel
sermon was preached, when in Eden it was declared that the
seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, Christ had
been uplifted as the way, the truth, and the life. He was the way
when Adam lived, when Abel presented to God the blood of the
slain lamb, representing the blood of the Redeemer. Christ was
the way by which patriarchs and prophets were saved. He is the
way by which alone we can have access to God."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 663.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 132-137.
19
We Are Drawn by Him
LESSON 2
❑
Tuesday
April 4
Part 3
"COME AND SEE"
THINK IT THROUGH
"Nathanael said to him, 'How do you know me?' Jesus
answered him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under
the fig tree, I saw you' " (John 1:48, RSV).
It had been when John the Baptist pointed out "the Lamb of
God" that the first men who became Christ's apostles left John
the Baptist to follow Jesus. They were Andrew, the brother of
Peter, and John the evangelist. "Moved by an irresistible im-
pUlse, they followed Jesus,—anxious to speak with Him, yet
awed and silent, lost in the overwhelming significance of the
thought, 'Is this the Messiah?'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 138.
What lesson can we learn from the experience of Christ's
first disciples? Verses 40-45.
But no sooner had Andrew and John come to know Jesus
even a little than there was born in their hearts a desire to call
others. So Andrew went in search of his brother Simon.
And now we find Jesus calling Philip and saying to him,
"Follow Me." Philip obeyed this summons and himself became
an extension of the voice and call of Jesus Christ. Philip went in
search of his friend, Nathanael. Since his own knowledge of
Jesus was still limited, he was having a little difficulty in per-
suading Nathanael that he had indeed found the Messiah. But
finally he simply said, "Come and see." When Nathanael came,
Jesus gave such evidence of knowing him and his longing for
the Messiah that Nathanael declared in growing faith, "Rabbi,
thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel" (verse 49).
Does my life so reflect the likeness of Jesus today that it
says to those who do not know Christ, Come and see? (Com-
pare Rev. 22:17; 2 Cor. 3:2.)
"The teaching of Christ was the expression of an inwrought
conviction and experience, and those who learn of Him become
teachers after the divine order. The word of God, spoken by one
who is himself sanctified through it, has a life-giving power that
makes it attractive to the hearers, and convicts them that it is a
living reality. When one has received the truth in the love of it, he
will make this manifest in the persuasion of his manner and the
tones of his voice. He makes known that which he himself has
heard, seen, and handled of the word of life, that others may
have fellowship with him through the knowledge of Christ. His
testimony, from lips touched with a live coal from off the altar, is
truth to the receptive heart, and works sanctification upon the
character."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 142.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 138-143.
20
We Are Drawn by Him
LESSON 2
❑
Wednesd
ay
April 5
Part 4
"The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it,
"BORN OF but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is
THE SPIRIT" with every one who is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8, RSV).
THINK IT THROUGH
Did you ever think in childhood that you might stop the wind
from blowing? As impossible a dream as that of the foolish king
who thought that he could hold back the waves of the ocean.
Whether it be the gentle refreshing summer breeze that breaks
up the heat of the day or the awesome hurricane, tornado, or
monsoon, there is nothing that man can do to control the will of
the wind.
The love of God is like the wind in that He who draWs us to
Himself draws universally. Man can build no barriers that can
keep out the first approach of God through the Holy Spirit. This
is not to suggest for a moment that the Lord forces His love
upon any; but there is a light which lights every man that comes
into the world. God's love is universal, Jesus shed His blood for
the sins of the whole world. God sees and knows equally every
individual, no matter where he is found in the world, and no man
can stay God's love except by his persistent rejection of it.
Must I be able to explain the love of God in order to receive
it?
"It is impossible for finite minds to comprehend the work of
redemption. Its mystery exceeds human knowledge; yet he who
passes from death to life realizes that it is a divine reality. The
beginning of redemption we may know here through a personal
experience. Its results reach through the eternal ages."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 173.
Why should I or should I not be troubled because I cannot
tell the exact time and place and circumstance under which I
gave my heart in response to the movings of God's Spirit?
"A person may not be able to tell the exact time or place, or to
trace all the circumstances in the jirocess of conversion; but
this does not prove him to be unconverted. By an agency as
'unseen as the wind, Christ is constantly working upon the heart.
Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impres-
sions are made that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may
be received through meditating upon Him, through reading the
Scriptures, or through hearing the word from the living
preacher. Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct ap-
peal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 172.
You can reject the Holy Spirit, but you cannot stop His woo-
ing. If we do not resist Him, we shall be led to the foot of the
cross in repentance for sin.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 172-174.
21
We Are Drawn by Him
LESSON 2
❑
Thursday
April 6
Part 5
"GIVEN . . .
OF MY FATHER"
Why is any person attracted to Jesus as Saviour?
"And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can
come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father"
(John 6:65).
The experience of coming to Jesus Christ is completely real. It
is as real as the fact that God the Father reigns on the throne of
the universe and that all things are sustained by His might. It is
not by accident, not by good fortune, but entirely by the power
of the Spirit that any individual comes to Christ and finds eternal
life in Him.
How completely is the heavenly Father willing that all
should find eternal life in His Son? John 6:39, 40.
Did association with Christ while He was on earth have a
saving power greater than He can provide now?
We may think that if we had lived on earth when Jesus was
here we would have been with John, Andrew, Nathanael, Philip,
Mary Magdalene, and the woman at the well in giving our hearts
to Him; that we would have been among the first to support Him
and to let Him know of our love. We may sometimes think that
anyone who saw and heard Jesus in person would have been
compelled to receive Him. But think of Judas Iscariot, who had
the closest association with Jesus, who was treated as the rest
of the disciples were treated for some three years, but who
never committed himself to Jesus. By his own choice Judas
deprived the heavenly Father of the privilege of bringing him
into a saving relationship with the Son, Jesus Christ.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does it really mean to believe on the Son of God?
"There is a great work to be done for your own soul's salva-
tion, and to qualify you to win others from unbelief to a life
sustained by faith in Christ Jesus. 'Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that believeth on me [with a casual faith?—No, with an
abiding faith that works by love and purifies the soul] hath
everlasting life. I am that bread of life.... I am the living bread
which came down from heaven. . . . But there are some of you
that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they
were that believed not, and who should betray Him. And he said,
Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me,
except it were given unto him of my Father.' (John 6:47, 48, 51,
53, 54,
63-65)."---Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 137, 138.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 391-394.
22
We Are Drawn by Him
LESSON 2
❑
Friday
April 7
Part 6
NO ORPHANS
HERE
"I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you" (John
14:18, RSV).
In the original language of the New Testament, Jesus was
saying, "I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you"
(NASB). How more beautifully could He have expressed it! He
was about to return to heaven following His unexpected death
on the cross—unexpected to His dearest disciples. Their utter
desolation begins to be seen on the night of the betrayal and
continues for some of them through most of the day of His
resurrection. Absolutely orphaned!
But no. The very event which made them such desolate or-
phans from their beloved Master was the means by which He
would ensure their being with Him for all eternity. And in the
interim, throughout the remainder of their lives, He would be
with them by His Holy Spirit.
Is Christ's love, offered to those original followers, offered
equally to us? Have you been drawn so close to Jesus Christ
that even in the deepest depths of your loneliness, you know
He has not left you an orphan? (See John 16:33.)
"The life of Christ's disciples is to be like His, a series of
uninterrupted victories, not seen to be such here, but recog-
nized as such in the great hereafter.
"Those who labor for the good of others are working in union
with the heavenly angels. They have their constant companion-
ship, their unceasing ministry. Angels of light and power are
ever near to protect, to comfort, to heal, to instruct, to inspire.
The highest education, the truest culture, and the most exalted
service possible to human beings in this world are theirs."—
Testimonies,
vol. 6, pp. 307, 308.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why is it some people resist the pleadings of God for their
salvation?
"The only way in which we can gain a more perfect apprehen-
sion of truth is by keeping the heart tender and subdued by the
Spirit of Christ. The soul must be cleansed from vanity and
pride, and vacated of all that has held it in possession, and
Christ must be enthroned within. Human science is too limited
to comprehend the atonement. The plan of redemption is so
far-reaching that philosophy cannot explain it. It will ever re-
main a mystery that the most profound reasoning cannot
fathom. The science of salvation cannot be explained; but it can
be known by experience. Only he who sees his own sinfulness
can discern the preciousness of the Saviour."—The
Desire of
Ages,
pp. 494, 495.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 669.
23
"For godly grief produces a
repentance that leads to salvation and
brings no regret, but worldly grief
produces death" (2 Cor. 7:10, RSV).
LESSON 3 April 9-15
Already this quarter we have studied
together about our need of Jesus
Christ and how He draws us to
Himself. Now we need to consider
what happens in the human heart if it
does not resist.
In the key text above, the apostle
Paul is speaking to the church at
Corinth to which he had written some
very straight counsel. The Corinthians
had been deeply upset over his letter,
and, while the apostle indicates that it
did not make him happy to have them
grieved, it made him happy to know
that their grief from his rebuke led
them to repentance. He describes
such grief as "godly." He defines this
godly grief as that which "produces a
repentance that leads to salvation and
brings no regret," while mere worldly
grief by contrast may be destructive,
even producing death.
The Gospel of John contains a
classic example of true repentance
and a classic example of false
repentance, a repentance unto death.
We refer to the contrasting
experiences of Peter and Judas.
Peter's willingness to have his heart
broken unto repentance was the only
thing that saved him from the des-
perateness of Judas, who went out
and hanged himself. We shall look at
these two contrasting characters and
their experiences as we study together
this week.
But first let us ask ourselves the key
question: What is repentance?
We remember that the call to repent
was the key message of John the
Baptist, and his call was not in vague
generalities. He pointed out the
specific sins of different classes of men
who came out into the wilderness to
hear him. He even courageously
pointed out individual sins and did so
ultimately at the cost of his life. What
did he want men to do in repenting?
What would show that they were
repentant?
With his calls for repentance John
gave specific instructions as to various
actions that would demonstrate that
there was true repentance of heart.
Repentance would result in a change.
In fact, the original words which are
translated "repentance" in the texts
which we will use this week carry this
clear idea of a change of mind. Later in
our lessons of this quarter we are
going to study conversion, and we
perhaps can see already that there may
be a very close link between
repentance and conversion. We have
all heard the child's definition of
repentance as being "sorry enough to
quit," or "sorry enough to stop, ' or
"sorry enough to change." These are
good definitions. How can we be
"sorry" about our condition if the
so-called sorrow fails to produce
changes in our life-style? It is not
enough to profess repentance. The
words and actions and life will give
evidence of repentance in reality.
Peter, in his sermon on the day of
Pentecost, referred to his hearers as
those who had put the Redeemer to
death. Under conviction they asked,
"What shall we do?" Note the first
word of Peter's answer, "Repent." On
a later occasion he said, "Repent ...
and be converted, that your sins may
be blotted out" (Acts 2:37, 38; 3:19).
This is beautifully summed up in a
short paragraph in
Steps to Christ:
"Repentance includes sorrow for sin
and a turning away from it. We shall
not renounce sin unless we see its
sinfulness; until we turn away from it
in heart, there will be no real change in
the life."—Page 23.
With this definition in mind, let us
proceed to our study of this lesson.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Why Repent?
(Rom. 2:4)
2.
Repentant Peter
(John 21:17)
3.
Unrepentant Judas
(John 13:30)
4.
Repent or Perish!
(Rev. 2:5)
5.
Oh, Sinner Man!
(Luke 5:32)
6.
All Should Repent
(2 Peter 3:9)
We Are Sorry
LESSON 3
❑
Sunday
April 9
Part 1
"Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you
WHY REPENT? to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4, RSV).
We may at first think that we see a contradiction in the calls for
men to repent (as in the preaching of John the Baptist and of
Peter at Pentecost) and the suggestion that it does not lie within
man's unaided power to bring himself to repentance.
What did Peter say is the source of repentance? Acts 5:31.
Is God asking or commanding us to repent and yet withhold-
ing the means by which alone we can be brought to repent-
ance? Does He require us to have something for our salvation
which can only be obtained as a gift from Him, and then with-
hold the gift? No. As our text indicates, God's kindness is meant
to lead us to repentance.
If we will open our eyes to see God's kindness, His love, His
long-suffering, His tender mercies toward us, these will lead us
to repentance. Do you not recall from your childhood occasions
when discipline tended to harden your will against the will of
parent or teacher, but when that same parent or teacher made
some personal sacrifice in order to meet some particular need
or wish of yours, you were all broken up inside? When you knew
that your mother or father was going without something for
herself or himself in order to give you something that you
needed or thought you wanted, could you withstand that love?
Could you persist in having your own way?
THINK IT THROUGH
What has Jesus done for me that would lead me to be
genuinely sorry for my sins and willfulness?
" 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world.' John 1:29. The light shining from the cross reveals the
love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist
this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repent-
ance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour."—The
Desire
of Ages,
pp. 175, 176.
What is the relationship between repentance and forgive-
ness?
"It is true that repentance does precede the forgiveness of
sins; for it is only the broken and contrite heart that will feel the
need of a Saviour." But "the Bible does not teach that the sinner
must repent before he can heed the invitation of Christ, 'Come
unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden and I will give you
rest.' Matthew 11:28. It is the virtue that goes forth from Christ,
that leads to genuine repentance."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 26.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Repentance," pp. 23-26.
26
We Are Sorry
LESSON 3
❑
Monday
April 10
Part 2
"He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you
REPENTANT love me?' Peter was grieved because he said to him the third
PETER time, 'Do you love me?' And he said to him, 'Lord, you know
everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed
my sheep' " (John 21:17, RSV).
Why do you think Jesus asked Peter three times for assur-
ance of his love for Him?
Our text is drawn from conversation of Jesus with Peter after
the resurrection. Three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him.
If Peter was sincere, wasn't once enough?
Peter had three times denied his Lord, not many days before
this—he who had boasted that though everybody else should
forsake the Saviour, he would never leave Him. And Peter had
been something of a leader among the disciples. Yet in the hour
of trial he had failed so miserably—almost as miserably as
Judas. For as Judas betrayed the lovelessness of his own heart
by selling his Saviour for 30 pieces of silver, Peter showed the
weakness of his love for his Lord by denying that he knew Him,
and accompanying his denial with the kind of low-down cursing
that he may have picked up among the fishermen of Galilee.
Now if Peter is to be restored to the confidence of his brethren
and is to resume leadership, it must be evident to all that the
proud braggart has become humble and teachable. Notice that
Peter does not now boast. When pressed regarding his sincerity
he merely casts himself upon Christ's knowledge of the hearts
of all men: "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love
you" (Verse 17).
THINK IT THROUGH
What broke the heart of proud Peter and led him to genuine
repentance, genuine change of mind?
"While the degrading oaths were fresh upon Peter's lips, and
the shrill crowing of the cock was still ringing in his ears, the
Saviour turned from the frowning judges [in the court of
Caiaphas], and looked full upon His poor disciple. At the same
time Peter's eyes were drawn to his Master. In that gentle
countenance he read deep pity and sorrow, but there was no
anger there.
"The sight of that pale, suffering face, those quivering lips,
that look of compassion and forgiveness, pierced his heart like
an arrow. . . .
"A tide of memories rushed over him. . . . Unable longer to
endure the scene, he rushed, heartbroken, from the hall."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 712, 713.
Here is genuine repentance recounted vividly as though
enacted before our eyes.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 710-713.
27
3-ASSL 2-78
We Are Sorry
LESSON 3
❑
Tuesday
April 11
Part 3
"As soon as Judas had received the bread he went out. It
UNREPENTANT was night" (John 13:30, NEB).
JUDAS
In so many ways it was night for Judas. Judas's action would
bring night to the disciples and even to the Lord Himself.
The same kind of sympathy and love and yearning tenderness
which broke the independent heart of Peter was resisted by the
hardened, self-deceived heart of Judas. By comparison with
Judas, Peter was crude and uneducated, but he was utterly
whatever he was. Judas was a deceiver. He apparently deceived
all the disciples and even thought he had deceived the Lord.
Thereby he revealed how sadly he was himself deceived.
Judas had already arranged to betray his Lord for the price of
a slave-30 pieces of silver—before the Lord stooped to take the
place of a slave and bathed the feet of Judas in the upper room.
And although, as on several previous occasions, an inner urge
swept over him to confess all and bare his heart before the
Redeemer, he repeatedly accepted the tempter's rationale for
his actions. He even convinced himself that the betrayal was a
kindness to the Lord because it would force the reticent Saviour
into revealing Himself before His enemies as the undeniable
Messiah—if Messiah He really was.
THINK IT THROUGH
Have I been resisting the promptings of God's love to con-
fess my sins in genuine sorrow for them?
28
FURTHER STUDY
"At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by reveal-
ing the traitor's purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the
ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was un-
heeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that
Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 720.
Do not the words of Scripture imply repentance by Judas: "I
have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood" (Matt.
27:4)?
"The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that
Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty
soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of
judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had
betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of
Israel. .
.
"Judas saw that his entreaties were in vain, and he rushed
from the hall exclaiming, It is too late! It is too late! He felt that he
could not live to see Jesus crucified, and in despair went out and
hanged himself."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 722.
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 716-722.
We Are Sorry
LESSON 3
❑
Wednesday
April 12
Part 4
"Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and re-
REPENT OR
pent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
PERISH!
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, ex-
cept thou repent" (Rev. 2:5).
In the letters from Jesus to the seven churches there are five
calls to repentance. Failure to heed the call of the Lord would be
followed by dire consequences. And these are messages of love
from Jesus to His professed followers. This fact is particularly
indicated in the message to Laodicea, "As many as I love, I
rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Rev.
3:19).
Were these appeals to the churches general calls for re-
pentance, or were they associated with specific needs, prob-
lems, or sins of the respective churches? (See Rev. 2:4, 5,
14-16, 20, 21; 3:2, 3, 15-19.)
It is important to recognize that the Lord was pointing out
specific sins in each church. The call to repentance was closely
associated with words of specific reproof, specific appeal, de-
signed to have specific results in the church. So we may imply
that individual repentance must relate to particular sins and
weaknesses. Let each pray the prayer of the psalmist, "Search
me, 0 God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
'and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way
everlasting" (Ps. 139:23, 24).
"Although as sinners we are under the condemnation of the
law, yet Christ by His obedience rendered to the law, claims for
the repentant soul the merit of His own righteousness. In order
to obtain the righteousness of Christ, it is necessary for the
sinner to know what that repentance is which works a radical
change of mind and spirit and action. The work of transforma-
tion must begin in the heart, and manifest its power through
every faculty of the being; but man is not capable of originating
such a repentance as this, and can experience it alone through
Christ, who ascended up on high, led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto
men."—Selected Messages,
bk. 1, p. 393.
THINK IT THROUGH
How serious is the loss of our first love for Christ and His
church?
"The losing of the first love is specified as a moral fall. The
loss of this love is represented as something that will affect the
entire religious life. Of those who have lost this love, God says
that unless they repent, He will come to them, and remove their
candlestick out of its place."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 957.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ, "Consecration,"
pp. 44-46.
29
We Are Sorry
LESSON 3
❑
Thursday
April 13
Part 5
OH, SINNER
MAN!
"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance"
(Luke 5:32).
He who responds to the call of Christ's love will be led to
repent. All of us who feel our own sinfulness and helplessness
may be assured that Jesus did not come to call the righteous
ones. Rather, He came to call and to save sinners—those who,
when confronted with the love of God as seen in Calvary's cross,
would cry out, God be merciful to me a sinner!
Is there any one sinner beyond the reach of the love of God?
Matt. 12:31, 32.
The Scripture teaches that God will forgive the sins we con-
fess. (See 1 John 1:9.) Any unconfessed sin is unpardonable so
long as it remains unconfessed. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts
us of our need for confession. To refuse the Spirit's conviction
places the sinner where he cannot confess so that his sin might
be forgiven.
"The sinner may resist this love, may refuse to be drawn to
Christ; but if he does not resist he will be drawn to Jesus; a
knowledge of the plan of salvation will lead him to the foot of the
cross in repentance for his sins, which have caused the suffer-
ings of God's dear
Son."—Steps to Christ,
p. 27.
THINK IT THROUGH
What shall I do if I have in my heart a longing for something
better than this world can give?
I can do a number of things: (1) I can ask God to give me
repentance, to reveal Christ in His infinite love and His perfect
purity. (2) I can come to Christ just as I am. (3) I can refuse to
excuse myself by comparing myself with others and their de-
fects. (4) I can refuse to delay the work of forsaking my sins and
seeking purity of heart through Jesus. (5) I can refuse to con-
sider any sin as too trivial to call for genuine repentance. (6) I
can remember that one wrong trait of character cherished can
neutralize the power of the gospel. (7) I can invite Christ to
search my heart and to reveal its wicked ways. (8) I can be in
dead earnest as I would be if I believed my life was at stake. (9) I
can study God's Word prayerfully. (10) I can refuse to give up to
despair. All God's promises and His warnings are manifesta-
tions of His love.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 275.
30
We Are Sorry
LESSON 3
❑
Friday
April 14
Part 6
What does Peter teach about God's desire for everyone?
ALL SHOULD
REPENT
"The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count
slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any
should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter
3:9, RSV).
THINK IT THROUGH
What a tragedy that many earnest Christians have thought
that some are predestined to be saved and some predestined to
be lost! These inspired words, so clear and forthright, declare
that God does not wish that any should perish but thata// should
reach or come to repentance.
This text confirms what we have learned earlier—that God is
drawing all men to Himself, that there is a light which lights
every man that comes into the world, that Jesus has paid the
price for the salvation of the whole world and not for a selected
few.
How is it then, that in comparison with the billions of the
world's population, so few even profess the name of Christ and
still fewer actively call upon His name?
Think of the grief which must come to the heart of God, not
only because of sin, but because of our often persistent refusal
to respond to the only means of bringing them eternal deliver-
ance from sins and their consequences.
What was the setting in which Peter gave us this assur-
ance of God's wish that all should come to repentance? (See
2 Peter 3:3-8).
Peter gave this assurance after his warning to those who think
that everything that is happening in the world has always hap-
pened, that everything is going along in the same old way and
always will. But Peter reminds these scoffers of the Flood which
came and disrupted a world which had come to believe that
things would never change.
Looking at the passage of the centuries from the time of the
Flood, he reminds that with the Lord time is not a problem, that a
thousand years are only as a day to Him. What counts is the
promises of God which may look slow of fulfillment as men
count slowness. But what men fail to recognize is that it is the
forbearance of God that leads Him to delay His coming. But
don't let that delay deceive you, Peter reasons, because the day
of the Lord
will
come, and when it does come, it will be for many
like a thief unexpected, catching them unprepared and unpro-
tected. Then things will happen which men have decided would
never happen. It is because the Lord wants all to be led to
repentance, says Peter, that time goes on as long as it does.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 467, 468.
31
LESSON 4 April 16-22
The apostle John does not speak
extensively on the subject of
confession of sin. He does, however,
give us in the last text that we shall use
this week, the most precious and
reassuring promise of all concerning
God's response to man's confession
of sin. In fact, the Scriptures as a whole
do not speak at great length nor with
great frequency on this subject, and
many of the texts which in our English
translations contain the word
confession
or
to confess
are not
speaking of confession of sin, but
rather of a confession of faith in a
name—the name of Jesus above all.
And so we have the expression in
Christian theology of "confession of
faith," not only in theology but also in
Christian worship. But as we proceed
with our study of the steps that the
sinner is invited to take in coming to
Jesus, we are concerned about the
subject of
confession of sin.
Our key text above, taken from the
wise man and expressed in the typical
parallel phraseology of many of the
proverbs, puts these two thoughts
against each other:
(1)
He who conceals his
transgressions will not prosper;
(2)
But he who confesses and
forsakes them will obtain mercy.
We take it, then that to confess is the
opposite of trying to cover up one's
sins or transgressions and that a
parallel act with confession of sin is the
forsaking of sin. This reminds us of a
child's definition of repentance—
being "sorry enough to quit."
Likewise genuine confession involves
a willingness to forsake the sin
confessed. Nowhere in the Scripture
is there a call for a man to keep on
repeating his sins in the blissful
assurance that upon further
confession he can receive forgiveness
and continue to sin with impunity.
Rather, we would gather from our key
text that he who confesses his sins
without the intent of forsaking them is
virtually as guilty as he who attempts to
cover his sins and to hide them from
the knowledge of God and man.
If we suggested earlier that there is
all too little genuine repentance
among Christians these days, we
certainly would go the next step and
say that there is all too little confession
and forsaking of sin among professed
Christians.
Why do not husband and wife,
brother and sister, mother and child,
kiss and make up. Why is it not enough
if the husband who left the home in
anger in the morning returns in the
evening and simply settles into the
peaceful routine of homelife again
without reference to the morning's
problem? Is he not in his own way
saying that he is sorry for what he said
or did earlier, and wishes to be
forgiven? Some devoted wives insist
that it would be out of place for a
husband to do more than this. They
say he should not put in words to the
one offended an acknowledgment of
the wrong which he has said or done.
Some wives would even imply that it
would be unmanly for a husband to
make such a confession. Would it be
unmanly? Let us think about it as we
study this week. Is it perhaps all right
for a woman or a child to confess
specifically, orally, or in writing, his or
her wrong, but not for a man?
Why this modern male reticence to
confess specific sins and wrongdoing,
whether to God or to man or both?
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1. Confession and Baptism
(Matt. 3:5, 6)
2.- Chief of Sinners
(1 Tim. 1:15)
3.
"My Sin and the Sin of My
People" (Dan. 9:20, 21)
4.
Confess to One Another
(James 5:16)
5.
Specific Confession
(1 Sam. 12:19)
6.
"Faithful and Just"
(1 John 1:9)
"He who conceals his
transgressions will not prosper, but he
who confesses and forsakes them will
obtain mercy" (Prov. 28:13, RSV).
We Wronged Him
LESSON 4
❑
Sunday
April 16
Part 1
What were key results of the preaching of John the Baptist
CONFESSION in the wilderness and of his message, "Repent ye"?
AND BAPTISM
"Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the
region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jor-
dan, confessing their sins" (Matt. 3:5, 6).
In the ministry of John the Baptist repentance and confession
went hand in hand. He called to the people of Israel to recognize
that the kingdom of heaven was about to come upon them and
that in order to be ready for it they must repent. The people who
heard him confessed their sins and accepted baptism at his
hand, signifying the washing away of their sins.
It is significant that even the Roman soldiers who came out to
hear John were instructed to modify their life-style so as to
cease sinning against their fellowmen. Confession of sin was to
accompany forsaking of sin.
There is a marked danger today that, in bringing new converts
to Jesus Christ and to church fellowship, we fail to give them
time to recognize their responsibility in repentance, confession,
and restitution. A number of years ago there was a baptismal
candidate who heard God speaking to him through the preach-
ing of the judgment hour message, and when he heard of con-
fession and restitution, he sought out the minister in alarm. He
began to tell the things of which he had been guilty in his youth,
and even since becoming a married man and a father. He had
been something of a terror to the secluded rural community
where he had lived. He had borrowed without intention of re-
turning, and he had borrowed and had simply forgotten to
return. Now the thought of confession and restitution filled his
heart with fear.
But the Spirit of the Lord brought conviction, and this
brother, with tracts in his pocket rather than a gun on his hip, set
out among his neighbors to confess and restore. They were
amazed that he came to see them; still more amazed at what he
had to tell them. They gladly forgave him and some grabbed out
of his pocket the Christian magazines he had brought. "If these
did you that much good," said one, "maybe they can help me."
THINK IT THROUGH
What neglected work of confession and restitution do I
have?
"The conditions of obtaining mercy of God are simple and
just and reasonable. The Lord does not require us to do some
grievous thing in order that we may have the forgiveness of sin.
We need not make long and wearisome pilgrimages, or perform
painful penances, to commend our souls to the God of heaven
or to expiate our transgression; but he that confesseth and
forsaketh his sin shall have mercy."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 37.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 103-108.
34
We Wronged Him
LESSON 4
❑
Monday
April 17
Part 2
CHIEF OF
SINNERS
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
Even after years of apostleship, how did Paul see himself in
the sight of God?
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I
am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15).
Was it inappropriate for a great apostle such as Paul to admit
to a young beginning preacher like Timothy that he regarded
himself the chief of sinners? Was there danger that Timothy
would despise the apostle for so classifying himself? He might
assume that Paul was using a figure of speech, that he was not
genuine in so describing himself—chief of sinners.
Why did Paul see himself so much a sinner?
One has only to look briefly at the acts of the apostles as Luke
portrayed them to see that, to the very end of his ministry, the
great apostle Paul never forgot that he persecuted the saints of
Jesus Christ—His ,church. It seemed ever to weigh upon his
w
soul. Not that he as-unforgiven! But when writing to Timothy
about it, he related it to the mercy he had received from. God. He
had no salvation in himself; it came to him from Jesus Christ.
(See verse 16.) The apostle had evidently taught his converts a
similar measure of earnestness in rejecting the past and accept-
ing God's mercy.
With what intensity did the Corinthian believers engage in
afflicting their ,souls for sin? 2 Cor. 7:10, 11.
This scripture (2 Cor. 7:10, 11) rings with earnestness. Here is
true confession of sin.
"Christ looks at the spirit, and when He sees us carrying our
burden with faith, His perfect holiness atones for our shortcom-
ings. When we do our best, He becomes our righteousness. It
takes every ray of light that God sends to us to make us the light
of the world."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, p. 368.
What hidden chapters in my life have never been included in
my experience of repentance. and confession?
"Those who have not humbled their souls before God
,
in
acknowledging their guilt, have not yet fulfilled the first condi-
tion of acceptance. If we have not experienced that repentance
which is not to be repented of, and have not with true humilia-
tion of soul and brokenness of spirit confessed our sins, abhor-
ring our iniquity, we have never truly sought for the forgiveness
of sin; and if we have never sought, we have never found the
peace of God."—Steps
to Christ,
pp. 37, 38.
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Lord's Prayer,"
(Luke 11:4), pp. 113-116.
35
We Wronged Him
LESSON 4
❑
Tuesday
April 18
Part 3
"MY SIN AND
THE SIN OF
MY PEOPLE"
Is it ever appropriate for one person to confess the sins of
another person?
"While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and
the sin of my people
.
Israel, and presenting my supplication
before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God; while I was
speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the
vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the
evening sacrifice" (Dan. 9:20, 21, RSV).
Here we have the prophet Daniel, in exile with many of his
people, seeking a very special relationship with the Lord
whereby to know and understand the Lord's purposes in deal-
ing with Judah. Some of the things which had been revealed to
Daniel placed him in great perplexity, since he could not see
how what he had been shown could fit into what the Lord had
earlier predicted for Judah. The prophet therefore gives himself
to a special time of afflicting his soul for his own sin and the sin
of his people Israel, which has placed them in captivity. He
places himself in the role of an intercessor between God's
people and God Himself. In this respect he is acting as a true
servant of the Lord.
What does the prophet Joel say the leaders of God's people
are to do? Joel 2:17.
THINK IT THROUGH
How could the church today practice the example of Daniel
and the teaching of Joel noted in this lesson?
"We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the
typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement
for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of
sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from
among the people. In like manner, all who would have their
names retained in the book of life should now, in the few remain-
ing days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by
sorrow for sin and true repentance. There must be deep, faithful
searching of heart. The light, frivolous spirit indulged by so
many professed Christians must be put away. There is earnest
warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that
strive for the mastery.
The work of preparation is an individual
work. We are not saved in groups.
The purity and devotion of
one will not offset the want of these qualities in another."—The
Great Controversy,
pp. 489, 490. (Emphasis supplied.)
This does not mean that we cannot meet together in prayer
and confession of our failures as a people. Neither can such
group activity substitute for the individual repentance of the
individual soul.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 486-491.
36
We Wronged Him
LESSON 4
❑
Wednesday
April 19
Part 4
CONFESS TO
ONE ANOTHER
To whom beside God is confession to be made?
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for
another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16).
"Confess.Textual
evidence favors ... beginning v.16 with the
word "therefore." The prime requirement for sincere faith in
prayer is a clear conscience. Wrong deeds secretly done are to
be confessed also to those who have suffered injury. A guilty
conscience erects a barrier to unreserved reliance upon God
and will defeat prayer."—SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 541.
What is the connection between confession of sin and for-
giveness? James 5:16.
In commenting upon this text Ellen White interprets it as
follows: "Confess your sins to God, who only can forgive them,
and your faults to one another. If you have given offense to your
friend or neighbor, you are to acknowledge your wrong, and it is
his duty freely to forgive you. Then you are to seek forgiveness
of God, because the brother you have wounded is the property
of God, and in injuring him you sinned against his Creator and
Redeemer. The case is brought before the only true Mediator,
our great High Priest, who ... is able to cleanse from every stain
of iniquity. Hebrews
4:15."—Steps to Christ,
p. 37.
"We are to surrender our hearts to God, that He may renew
and sanctify us, and fit us for His heavenly court. We are not to
wait for some special time, but today we are to give ourselves to
Him, refusing to be the servants of sin. Do you imagine you can
leave off sin a little at a time? Oh, leave the accursed thing at
once! Hate the things that Christ hates, love the things that
Christ loves. Has He not by His death and suffering made provi-
sion for your cleansing from
sin?"—Selected Messages,
bk. 1,
p. 327.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the substance of confession? Will a gift suffice?
"True confession is always of a specific character, and ac-
knowledges particular sins. They may be of such a nature as to
be brought before God only; they may be wrongs that should be
confessed to individuals who have suffered injury through
them; or they may be of a public character, and should then be
as publicly confessed. But all confession should be definite and
to the point, acknowledging the very sins of which you are
guilty."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 38.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Asking to Give," p. 144;
Thoughts
From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Spirituality of the Law," p. 59.
37
We Wronged Him
LESSON 4
❑
Thursday
April 20
Part 5
What clear example does the Old Testament present of a
SPECIFIC specific acknowledgment of sin by the people of God?
CONFESSION
"And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants
unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto
all our sins this evil, to ask us a king" (1 Sam. 12:19).
God's people Israel, desiring to be like the nations roun
about them, demanded of the Lord a king. They had been led for
many years by judges called by God, the last of whom w
a
s
Samuel the prophet. They were not satisfied and desired to
a king over them. They had been duly warned of the sad c
quences that would follow, but their desire to be like the na'.
round about them overwhelmed their loyalty to God and t(
chosen servants. So the Lord permitted judgments to fall u,
Israel, and they seemed quickly to become aware of the rear
for these judgments. It is noteworthy that in their confessio.
their wrongdoing they were explicit regarding the particular sin
THINK IT THROUGH
Can I expect the Lord to grant a blanket forgiveness for a
generalized confession of sinfulness or selfishness?
"In the days of Samuel the Israelites wandered from God
They were suffering the consequences of sin; for they had lost
their faith in God, lost their discernment of His power and
wisdom to rule the nation, lost their confidence in His ability to
defend and vindicate His cause. They turned from the great
Ruler of the universe and desired to be governed as were the
nations around them. Before they found peace they made this
definite confession: 'We have added unto all our sins this evil, to
ask us a king.' 1 Samuel 12:19. The very sin of which they were
convicted had to be confessed. Their ingratitude oppressed
their souls and severed them from God."—Steps
to Christ,
pp.
38, 39.
What parallel is seen in the experience of the apostle Paul in
his attitude toward his sin?Acts 26:9-11.
"Paul did not seek to shield himself; he paints his sin in its
darkest hue, not attempting to lessen his guilt. He says: 'Many of
the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from
the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my
voice against them. And I punished them oft in every
synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being ex-
ceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto
strange cities.' He does not hesitate to declare that 'Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.'
"—
Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 641.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 605, 611, 615.
38
We Wronged Him
LESSON 4
❑
Friday
April 21
Part 6
No matter how great the evil done, what blessed assurance
"FAITHFUL is given to all who truly confess and forsake their sins?
AND JUST"
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John
1:9).
There probably is no more precious promise in all Sacred
Scripture than this unequivocal, unlimited assurance of for-
giveness and cleansing if we confess.
This overwhelming promise of God's mercy is surrounded by
warnings against our suggesting that we have no sins. The path
of hiding sins is a path that leads to destruction. Those who
follow such a course are deceiving themselves and show that
they do not have the truth in them; they are attempting to make
God untrue to Himself, and they thus show that His Word is not
in them. The glorious promise of separation from sin is for
whoever is willing to "confess" his sins.
It is interesting to notice the intent of the word "confess" in
this text—"to speak the same thing." We may see here a link
with the comment at the beginning of our lesson that confes-
sion is not always of sin, but may be a confession of faith in
Christ or a confessing of His name. Either way the confession
implies a speaking.
What attitude lends itself to genuine confession of sin? Ps.
34:18.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why does the spirit of self-justification not fit in with the
spirit of true confession?
"The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies
and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam.
Confessions of this order are not inspired by the divine Spirit
and will not be acceptable to God. True repentance will lead a
man to bear his guilt himself and acknowledge it without decep-
tion or hypocrisy. Like the poor publican, not lifting up so much
as his eyes unto heaven, he will cry, 'God be merciful to me a
sinner,' and those who do acknowledge their guilt will be jus-
tified, for Jesus will plead His blood in behalf of the repentant
soul."—Steps
to Christ,
pp. 40, 41.
No human therapy can bathe the soul with the healing power
that comes from the assurance of acceptance with God on the
part of him who truly is penitent and brings his sins humbly and
with a broken heart to the cross of Calvary. Quickness to ac-
knowledge one's own faults and sins and slowness to accuse
another, are the results of the Spirit's work on the human heart.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"The Sower Went Forth to Sow,"
("Preparation of the Soil"; "In Good Ground"), pp. 56-59.
39
"Then said Jesus unto him, Except
e
see signs and wonders, ye will not
elieye" (John 4:48).
Did
:
you, ever try to wrestle with the,
question of the exact order.in which a
new believer takes the various steps to
—
Eh rist?-No•matter-how we•try
7
We find
there is no
one way
by
,which men and
women afe led to:befieye
the`Lord
Jesus Christ. So white .we have
stressed our reed. of Him, and how He
draws us to Him, ancrhow we must
come with, repentance and a
willingness lo corife'ss our sins and to
forsake them, there is no required
order in whi
-
Ch these various steps are
to be taken. If there is one thing which
all human beings have in common, it is
. how different we are from one
another—even identical twins. So let
us' acknowledge that the sequence we
have gi‘ien to these lessons is
somewhat arbitrary; and since it is, let
us pause this week to examine from a
little
—
different angle some of the steps
we have considered thus far.
It is not at all out of place today for us
to consider
-
our key text: "Except ye
see signs and wonders, ye will not
believe." There probably has never
been' a me. in human history when
this demand wasnriore widely made,
or when men and;women claim that
they can provide the signs and
Wonders essential to faith, if indeed
•
they are essential. The era of the
—charismatic is certainlyone.that laces_
top priority on signs and wonders.
. But you will recall. that the man to
whom.Jesus spoke these words
eventually, put,
his trust in the Lord
without' any evidence of sign or
wonder. That is, no sign or wond
had.been performed for him, th
unquestionably he had heard of w
the. Lord had done for others.
So who is going to have a spiri
repentance in, his heart or be willin
confess and forsake his sins, if he d
not believe, if he does not trust in
and in Hi's precious promises?
C
oing to believe on the Lord Jes
hrist unto salvation if he does n
trust implicitly His every word? So w
have a vital lesson before us this week
"Not because we see or feel that
God hears us are We to believe. We are-
to trust in His promises. When we
come to Him in faith, every petition
enters the heart of. God."—The
Desire
of Ages,
p. 200.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
"The Man Believed"
(John 4:50) •
2.
The Woman Believed
(John 4:28, 29)
3.
Man From Galilee?
(John 7:41)
4.
Man From Above
(John 3:31)
5.
You May Believe
(John 20:30, 31)
6.
When You Pray
(Mark 11:24)
We Trust Him
LESSON 5
❑
Sunday
April 23
Part 1
"THE MAN
BELIEVED"
What made the faith of the Jewish nobleman so outstanding
as to receive a place in the inspired record of the Gospels?
"Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the
man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and
he went his way" (John 4:50).
In many repspects the Jewish nobleman had characteristics
which most of us can acknowledge that we share. He was
influenced by status, prestige, outward appearance, material
influence, possessions, and authority.
The nobleman's son was at the point of death, and the
urgency of the situation led this man of authority to undertake
the search for Jesus. He would entrust this responsibility to n
one else. Finding Jesus, he was greatly disappointed by what
saw—none of the human trappings of influence, authority,
power. Doubt jabbed at his heart, but in his desperation
made known his request to the Saviour, making the answer
his need the evidence upon which he would or would not b
lieve on Christ as the Messiah. It was then that the words of our
key text for the week were spoken by the Lord: '`Except ye see,
signs and wonders, ye will not believe" (John 4:48).
Suddenly the Jewish nobleman was confronted with the fact
that his own unbelief and his entirely selfish motives could cost
the life of his son. Realizing now that he was in the presence of
Him who read his innermost thoughts, he cast himself upon the
Saviour's mercy: "Sir, come down ere my child die." The re-
sponse of the Saviour came immediately, "Go thy way, thy son
liveth." Though he has no tangible evidence, no telecommuni-
cation from his home, the nobleman is satisfied that his son is
well. So much so that he does not even rush home. He now
trusts the Saviour implicitly.
THINK IT THROUGH
When have I exercised as trusting a faith as that of the
Jewish nobleman?
"The Saviour longs to give us a greater blessing than we ask;
and He delays the answer to our request that He may show us
the evil of our own hearts, and our deep need of His grace. He
desires us to renounce the selfishness that leads us to seek Him
Confessing our helplessness and bitter need, we are to trust
ourselves wholly to His love."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 200.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 196-200.
42
We Trust Him
LESSON 5
❑
Monday
April 24
Part 2
What made a believer out of the Samaritan woman at the
THE WOMAN well?
BELIEVED
THINK IT THROUGH
"The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into
the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me
all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" (John 4:28, 29).
"Left her waterpot.
She was on the point of leaving, her
waterpot filled (DA 183), when the disciples returned from the
village with food for Jesus. She was eager to reach the village
and tell others of her great discovery, and did not care to be
slowed by the heavy waterpot. She had experienced
desire,
conviction,
and
decision . . . ,
and the next logical step was
action-she
went to tell others of her great discovery. This tes-
tified to the reality of her decision. The waiting waterpot was
mute evidence of her intention to return without delay."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 941.
Doubtless a number of factors led the woman of Samaria to
put her trust in Jesus as the Messiah. It is evident that He won
her attention, aroused her interest, awakened her desire, and
led her to perceive who it was that spoke to her. He, a Jew, had
taken the unthinkable initiative to speak to a Samaritan woman.
But having led her to request of Him that living water springing
up into everlasting life, she suddenly had the veil of anonymity
swept away from her soul and became exposed to the blazing
light of the Saviour's purity.
While she attempted to parry the, exposure by theological
argument and racial prejudice, it occurred to her sin-darkened
mind that this Man acted as she would expect the Messiah to
act. When she gave tentative expression to such a possibility,
she received the glorious revelation, "I that speak unto thee am
he" (verse 26).
Could it be that the path of having our sins exposed between
ourselves and the Lord would be the path of genuine faith?
How can this happen?
"As the woman talked with Jesus, she was impressed with His
words.... As the past of her life had been spread out before her,
she had been made sensible of her great want.... Nothing that
had hitherto come in contact with her had so awakened her to a
higher need. Jesus had convinced her that He read the secrets
of her life; yet she felt that He was her friend, pitying and loving
her. While the very purity of His presence condemned her sin,
He had spoken no word of denunciation, but had told her of His
grace, that could renew the soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 189,
190.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 190-195.
4-ASSL 2-78
43
We Trust Him
LESSON 5
❑
Tuesday
April 25
Part 3
What prejudice discouraged many from believing on Jesus
MAN FROM Christ?
GALILEE?
"Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ
come out of Galilee?" (John 7:41).
It perhaps should not surprise us if today national and racial
and social prejudices throw up barriers between men. Such
barriers are undoubtedly as old as sin itself.
A long-standing prejudice existed in Jerusalem against the
more open, liberty-loving, uninhibited people of Galilee. Jewish
tradition had determined that since Christ was of the seed of
David and Bethlehem was David's town, then Christ must come
out of Bethlehem and not out of Galilee. While He was to be born
in Bethlehem, when He should make His debut no one would
know from whence He had come. This idea is reflected in the
words, "Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when
Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is" (John 7:27).
So the enemy of God and man contrives to place stumbling
blocks in the path of faith. And human pride accepts these
devious prejudices rather than the simple, straightforward
statements of the Word of God.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is there any assurance whereby one can know what indeed
is the truth of God?
"The preaching and teaching of His word is one of the means
that God has ordained for diffusing light; but we must bring
every man's teaching to the test of Scripture. Whoever will
prayerfully study the Bible, desiring to know the truth, that he
may obey it, will receive divine enlightenment. He will under-
stand the Scriptures. 'If any man willeth to do His will, he shall
know of the teaching.' John 7:17, R.V."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 459.
There is a sobering thought in the realization that the Jews of
Christ's day were the chosen people of God, yet in large mea-
sure they failed to recognize the identity of the true Messiah
when He came to them. Thus it behooves every one of us to ask
earnestly, Am I absorbing the prejudices of others? Am I permit-
ting others to determine what I shall believe? Am I permitting
others to dictate to me what is truth? Am I permitting others to
share with me their pride and their prejudice while the Saviour
stands waiting at the heart's door, knocking, waiting, and
knocking. If we keep Him outside the heart's door, can He bring
repentance and confession to us as means of receiving His
forgiveness and cleansing from sin?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 455-460.
44
We Trust Him
LESSON 5
❑
Wednesday
April 26
Part 4
What is Christ's origin and position?
MAN FROM
ABOVE
"He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the
earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh
from heaven is above all" (John 3:31).
These noble words spoken by the forerunner of Christ, John
the Baptist, are a measure of the faith of John in Christ's divine
origin. It was a measure also of John's complete self-
abnegation—his willingness to direct attention and honor to
another. The multitudes had flocked out to the wilderness to
hear him; now John directed them to One whose sandal he felt
unworthy to loose.
What characteristics of John the Baptist enabled him to
recognize Christ as the Messiah? (See John 3:25-30.)
"Looking in faith to the Redeemer, John had risen to the
height of self-abnegation. He sought not to attract men to him-
self, but to lift their thoughts higher and still higher, until they
should rest upon the Lamb of God. He himself had been only a
voice, a cry in the wilderness. Now with joy he accepted silence
and obscurity, that the eyes of all might be turned to the Light of
I
ife."—Testimonies,
vol. 8, p. 333.
"We can receive of heaven's light only as we are willing to be
emptied of self. We cannot discern the character of God, or
accept Christ by faith, unless we consent to the bringing into
captivity of every thought to the obedience of Christ. To all who
do this the Holy Spirit is given without measure. In Christ 'dwell-
eth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and in Him ye are
made full.' Col. 2:9, 10, R.V."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 181.
THINK IT THROUGH
What lessons can I learn from the attitudes of John the
Baptist?
"John had by nature the faults and weaknesses common to
humanity, but the touch of divine love had transformed him. He
dwelt in an atmosphere uncontaminated with selfishness and
ambition, and far above the miasma of jealousy. He manifested
no sympathy with the dissatisfaction of his disciples, but
showed how clearly he understood his relation to the Messiah,
and how gladly he welcomed the One for whom he had pre-
pared the way."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 179.
The penitent believer's trust in Jesus thrives on humility and
self-abnegation—the spirit of Him who said, "lam among you as
he that serveth" (Luke 22:27).
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 178-182.
45
We Trust Him
LESSON 5
❑
Thursday
April 27
Part 5
What is the essential basis upon which all faith in Jesus
YOU MAY Christ depends?
BELIEVE
"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are
written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God; and that believing ye might have life through his
name" (John 20:30, 31).
We may wish to assert it again and again in our studies this
quarter. Our faith in Jesus Christ is anchored in the inspired
Word of God, and most specifically in the records of the Gospels
which tell us who He was, what He was, and how and why He
was our Redeemer.
Some critics accuse Christians of bibliolatry, as opposed to
idolatry. They say that, while we renounce idol worship in all
forms, we actually worship the Bible, that we idolize this book,
that we give it a reverence and a deference and a confidence
which no book merits. On the other hand, about 300 years ago
rationalistic scholars, in the period known as the enlighten-
ment, determined that the Bible was only a piece of literature
like any other book and should be tested and evaluated and
criticized on the same basis as any other ancient book. But
neither viewpoint is that of the apostle John. He wrote to provide
a basis for our faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. Those
who approach the study of John's Gospel and the other inspired
books with this expectation find food for their soul and the
ground for their faith. Tasting and seeing, they find that the Lord
indeed is good, and that He fulfills all His promises.
What parallel is there between Christ's miracles of physical
healing and His work of healing sin-sick souls?
In the healing of the man sick with palsy, Jesus plainly stated,
"That ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to
forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up
thy bed, and go unto thine house" (Matt. 9:6).
"From the simple Bible account of how Jesus healed the sick,
we may learn something about how to believe in Him for the
forgiveness of sins."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 50.
It is our privilege similarly to receive spiritual cleansing. If we
will believe Christ's promise, confess our sins, give ourselves to
God, place our will on His side, then God can do for us what He
has promised. He will forgive and He will cleanse.
"Do not wait to
feel
that you are made whole, but say, 'I believe
it; it
is
so, not because I feel it, but because God has
promised.'
"—Steps to Christ,
p. 51.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 126.
46
LESSON 6 April 30 to May 6
"Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you" (James 4:7).
No one in the New Testament
speaks about belief or believing more
frequently than the apostle John. The
expression is almost the key word of
his Gospel. Why should that be? John
is endeavoring to establish a basis
upon which his readers can accept
Christ as divine. In our lesson last
week we stressed the element of trust
in our faith. In this week's lesson we
would stress submission,
commitment, adherence, and
steadfastness as additional elements
of this experience of faith. Indeed
there is no one word, either in the
original language or in our modern
languages, that covers all the shades of
significance of this vital matter of
belief or faith.
James in his epistle tells us that the
devils believe, but their belief does
not bring them joy, peace, or
satisfaction. When they think about
what they know and believe about
God, the devils shudder and tremble.
(See James 2:19.) Yet within two or
three verses, James is holding up
Abraham as an example of one who
believed God—the same expression
as he used of the devils. But surely
there must haVe been some difference
in the kind of believing done by the
devils and the believing
done
by
Abraham, because, while the devils
tremble, they are devils still. But
Abraham is counted as righteous and
is called "the friend of God" (James
2:23).
Since the same root word is used for
"faith" and "belief" throughout the
New Testament, we must of necessity
derive any shades of difference from
the setting in which the term is used.
This week we are going to draw upon a
number of occasions when people
were in conflict about Jesus Christ—in
conflict over His claims to be the Son
of God, to be the Sent of Heaven.
Some were persistent enemies like the
Pharisees and Sadducees, while
others were simply ignorant of who
Christ claimed to be and what He had
come to do. In a number of instances
these humble, less informed people
came to believe, submitted, and
counted themselves followers of Jesus
Christ despite bitter opposition,
ridicule, and threats of
excommunication.
Jesus Christ was concerned that
men should believe Him to be who He
claimed to be. Unless they did so, He
could not do anything to save them.
The success of the gospel depends on
our acceptance of it. We quote John
3:16 freely, but we tend to forget verse
18: "He that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God." So this is a
life-and-death matter—eternal life and
eternal death indeed.
The opposite of sLibmission and
commitment is independence and a
wait-and-see attitude. So the words of
James are appropriate: "Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist
the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw
nigh to you" (James 4:7,
a.
Too many
submit the control of their lives to the
devil and to themselves and thus resist
God. Let us give earnest thought, as
we study together this week, to what it
really means to us to submit to Him
who is "the way, the truth, and the
life."
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Servants of Sin
(John 8:34)
2.
"Ye Shall Die"
(John 8:24)
3.
"He Shall Know"
(John 7:17)
4.
"They Did Not Confess"
(John 12:42, 43)
5.
"He Worshipped Him"
(John 9:35-38)
6.
"Many Believed on Hi
(John 10:41, 42)
We Yield to Him
LESSON 6
❑
Sunday
April 30
Part 1
SERVANTS
OF SIN
Does a sinner control his own life?
"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34).
The setting in which Jesus spoke these words was a conver-
sation with some Jews who had come to believe on Him. He
indicated that if they would continue in His word, then they
would be His disciples and they would come to know the truth
and the truth would make them free. This tended to rouse their
national and racial feelings. They insisted that, as the descend-
ants of Abraham, they were never in bondage to anybody. How
could He say to them, You will be made free? Jesus' answer was
our text for today. It implied that, regardless of ancestry or
family tree, if a man sins, he is the slave, the servant of sin, and is
not free.
How can a man who is in slavery to sin become free?
Verse 36.
Perhaps the freest man in all the New Testament, other than
Christ, was the man who repeatedly presented himself as the
bond-servant or slave of Jesus Christ—the apostle Paul. It was
he who understood so clearly the nature of freedom and bond-
age.
THINK IT THROUGH
Whose servant or slave am I?
50
FURTHER STUDY
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to
obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
"For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from
righteousness."
"But now being made free from sin, and become servants to
God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting
life" (Rom. 6:16, 20, 22).
"If we indulge anger, lust, covetousness, hatred, selfishness,
or any other sin, we become servants of sin. 'No man can serve
two masters.' If we serve sin, we cannot serve Christ. The Chris-
tian will feel the promptings of sin, for the flesh lusteth against
the Spirit; but the Spirit striveth against the flesh, keeping up a
constant warfare. Here is where Christ's help is needed. Human
weakness becomes united to divine strength, and faith
exclaims, 'Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ!'
"—Messages to Young People,
p. 114.
The Desire of Ages,
p. 466.
We Yield to Him
LESSON 6
❑
Monday
May 1
Part 2 . How vital an issue is it whether or not we believe on the Lord
"YE SHALL Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world?
DIE"
"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if
ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins" (John
8:24).
It would be difficult to find any time or place in human history
when Christ was more forthright, more specific, and more ob-
jective with men than on this occasion. As we have said before,
this matter of believing that Christ was who He claimed to be,
was and is a matter of life and death. This is a reiteration of the
truth spoken earlier in John 3:16-18, to the effect that whoever
believes not is already condemned. This results from not believ-
ing on Him who alone can deliver from the sentence which
Heaven pronounces against sin and sinners.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the only effective means of deliverance from
bondage and from the death which is the wages of sin?
"In the work of redemption there is no compulsion. No exter-
nal force is employed. Under the influence of the Spirit of God,
man is left free to choose whom he will serve. In the change that
takes place when the soul surrenders to Christ, there is the
highest sense of freedom. The expulsion of sin is the act of the
soul itself. True, we have no power to free ourselves from Sa-
tan's control; but when we desire to be set free from sin, and in
our great need cry out for a power out of and above ourselves,
the powers of the soul are imbued with the divine energy of the
Holy Spirit, and they obey the dictates of the will in fulfilling the
will of God.
"The only condition upon which the freedom of man is possi-
ble is that of becoming one with Christ. 'The truth shall make
you free;' and Christ is the truth. Sin can triumph only by en-
feebling the mind, and destroying the liberty of the soul. Subjec-
tion to God is restoration to one's self,—to the true glory and
dignity of man. The divine law, to which we are brought into
subjection, is 'the law of liberty.' James 2:12."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 466.
It is difficult for students in many parts of the world today to
imagine what it meant to be an open follower of Jesus Christ
when He was here. Those who have been disowned, consigned
to a mental home, or divorced because they have accepted
Christ can have some idea. Yet Jesus placed a terrible dilemma
before men when He plainly stated that rejection of Him was the
same as choosing to die in one's sins. It may not be long before
belief is going to involve deep commitment everywhere.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Spirituality of the
Law," (Matt. 5:30), pp. 60-63.
51
We Yield to Him
LESSON 6
❑
Tuesday
May 2
Part 3
"HE SHALL
KNOW"
THINK IT THROUGH
What connection is there between a man's willingness to
obey God and his capacity for knowing truth?
"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" (John 7:17).
This text is very much in the center of our subject and concern
because understanding of truth comes to those willing to sub-
mit to Him who is the truth. Jesus actually indicated that those
who were willing to do His will and His 'Father's will would know
whether His teaching was of God or merely from a man. This
clearly suggests that there would be a harmony between the
individual soul and Heaven, and that there would be an en-
lightening of the mind and the development of a blessed assur-
ance as to what is truth.
"In order to do the will of God, we must search His word, that
we may know His doctrine, and put to the task all our entrusted
ability. We must be diligent in prayer, and fervent in simple,
wholehearted service to God. Those who are engaged as
teachers in the Sabbath school should hunger and thirst for
divine truth, that they may impart this Spirit to those under their
care, and lead their pupils to seek for truth as for hidden
treasure."—Counsels
on Sabbath School Work,
p. 73.
How can I distinguish between those who speak for God and
those who speak from their own human wisdom only?
"Man's advantages for obtaining a knowledge of the truth,
however great these may be, will prove of no benefit to him
unless the heart is open to receive the truth, and there is a
conscientious surrender of every habit and practice that is op-
posed to its principles. To those who thus yield themselves to
God, having an honest desire to know and to do His will, the
truth is revealed as the power of God for their salvation. These
will be able to distinguish between him who speaks for God, and
him who speaks merely from himself."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp.
455, 456.
It would seem self evident that there would be a very close
relationship between knowing that Christ was speaking from
God and for God and believing in Him. It would seem illogical
and unnatural to make a commitment of one's self to a person in
whom he did not believe, in whom he could not have confi-
dence, in whose word he could not trust. It seems therefore that
there is indeed a very close correlation between this text in John
7:17 and the primary concern of this lesson—namely, that we
submit to, commit to, wish to remain steadfast to, and have
confidence in, Him who we believe speaks for God. And this
belief, indeed this knowledge, this assurance, will come "if any
man will do his will."
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"What to Do With Doubt," pp. 109-113.
52
We Yield to Him
LESSON 6
111 Wednesday
May 3
Part 4
"THEY DID
NOT CONFESS"
THINK IT THROUGH
We have already seen that there are different qualities to
"believing." We have been reminded that the devils believe and
tremble. In the text before us today we have a most interesting
situation in which men believe in Christ at the same time that
they are unwilling to "confess Him."
What kind of belief is it that will not permit the believer to
confess what is believed?
"Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed
on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess
him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they
loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John
12:42, 43).
Here is a clear contextual evidence that the word "belief" can
have various shades of meaning. Perhaps we would not be
ready to put these "chief rulers" in the same category with the
devils who believe and tremble, but can we put them in the
category of true believers? Did they really believe that, Jesus.
Christ was who He claimed to be? What price were these men
willing to pay for their belief that He was the true Messiah? What
degree of commitment of themselves were they ready to make
to Him? How far would they let Him redirect their lives, trans-
form their entire life-style, reshape their interests and priorities?
These are pertinent questions, not merely for the men of whom
we have just read, but they are pertinent questions for us today.
What quality of faith or belief in Christ do we have? It is not
without reason that we hear that the measure of a man's faith is
the price he is willing to pay to be true to his faith, or, conversely,
the price at which he will sell out his faith.
Could I possibly have an intellectual belief in Christ which
would not support a willingness to submit and commit all of my
wayslo His direction and will? What will be the results of a
correct faith in Jesus?
"To save themselves from reproach and shame, they [the
chief rulers] denied Christ, and rejected the offer of eternal life.
And how many through all the centuries since have been doing
the same thing! To them all the Saviour's warning words apply:
'He that loveth his life shall lose it.' He that rejecteth Me,' said
Jesus, 'and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him:
the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last
day.' John 12:48."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 626.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Hidden Treasure," pp. 104-106.
53
We Yield to Him
LESSON 6
❑
Friday
May 5
Part 6
What contrast does the Gospel of John provide between the
"MANY convincing power of miracles and the convincing power of
BELIEVED fulfilled prophecy?
ON HIM"
"And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no mira-
cle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And
many believed on him there" (John 10:41, 42).
These words are the witness borne to John the Baptist after
his death by those who had heard what he had to say about
Jesus. They noted that while John did no miracle unlike Elijah or
Moses before him, all that he said about Christ had proved true,
with the result that many at this time and place believed on
Christ.
In this time of interest in charismatics, when so many are
pointing to apparent miracles as proof of truth, it is well to
remember this testimony concerning John the Baptist. If our
faith in Jesus Christ is dependent upon miracles, we may find
miracles coming from strange sources that will lead us to be-
lieve that which is contrary to the Inspired Word of God. It
should not be the miracles that lead to the acceptance of the
Word, but the acceptance of the Word should bethe test of what
is and what is not truly a miracle.
THINK IT THROUGH
Upon what is my confidence in the Lord based? Is it some-
thing which could be readily counterfeited? (Read 2 Peter
1:19.)
We recall the setting for this statement of the apostle Peter.
He has been describing the experience shared with Christ on
the mount of transfiguration when he saw a miniature of the
coming kingdom of glory. There was no question in Peter's
mind as to the reality of his experience, the voice which he
heard, the light which shone round about them, the illumination
of the Saviour. But certain as Peter was of this reality—a
miraculous experience indeed—he pointed to the prophetic
word as something more sure, more certain, more reliable, even
than the phenomenal experience on the transfiguration moun-
taintop.
This is perhaps one of the most significant commentaries
upon the quality of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the days
when spiritism under many guises will perform undoubted
miracles, in what shall we put our trust? Whose testimony shall
we receive? To avoid deception we need the qualities of faith
about which we have been studying in this week's lesson—
submission, commitment, willingness to do God's will, willing-
ness to make our commitment known, and a leaning upon the
Word of inspiration as opposed to the performance of miracles.
With such a faith, many others will come to receive our tes-
timony.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 312, 349, 459.
55
LESSON 7 May 7-13
"Wherefore I say unto thee, Her
sins, which are many, are forgiven; for
she loved much: but to whom little is
forgiven, the same loveth little. And he
said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
And they that sat at meat with him
began to say within themselves, Who
is this that forgiveth sins also? And he
said to the woman, Thy faith hath
saved thee; go in peace" (Luke
7:47-50).
We have taken Luke's account of
Christ's forgiveness of the sins of the
woman who came and anointed His
feet with costly spikenard. Only Luke
associates Mary's act with Christ's
statement of His forgiveness. It caused
no little stir among the guests of the
feast at Simon's house that Christ
would speak as though He could
forgive sins. That is the blessed good
news of this lesson. He forgave that
woman. Her sin was such as might lead
many of us to say, "I thank God that I
am not like that woman." Jesus did not
hide her sins or rationalize them away.
He acknowledged that her sins were
many, and He could have said that
they were grievous. But He did say that
they were forgiven. Because her sins
were so many, and their result so
devastating, her love for Him was
greater than that shown by many
others whom He had forgiven. The
Lord does not mean that we should
wish that we had sinned more so that
we could love more, having more
forgiveness. What we ought to ask
ourselves is why we do not love Him
more, considering our sins that He has
forgiven.
On what grounds can God forgive
our sins, provided that we have met
the conditions? On what grounds can
He be just and yet the justifier of him
that believeth in Christ Jesus? He can
do it because He has paid the penalty
for our sins in His Son Jesus Christ who
became our Sin Bearer. Though He
knew no sin, He became sin for us. He
was treated as sinners deserve to be
treated and will be if they believe not
on the Lord Jesus Christ. Because He
was treated as we deserve to be
treated, God is going to treat us as
Jesus deserved to be treated, since He
was without sin. Jesus was counted a
sinner that we might be counted
righteous. We cannot be counted
righteous while clinging to known sin.
So forgiveness of known sins is
essential to being counted righteous
or justified.
Let us believe, as we study this
week, that God wants to forgive us
personally and individually, and that
when He forgives us, He counts us as
though we had never sinned. This is
the almost unbelievable glory of the
love and mercy of God in Christ Jesus.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
"Without Shedding of Blood"
(Heb. 9:22)
2.
"As We Forgive"
(Matt. 6:12)
3.
"Power . . . to Forgive Sins"
(Matt. 9:6)
4.
"Peace With God"
(Rom. 5:1)
5.
"Neither Do I' Condemn Thee"
(John 8:11)
6.
The Kiss of Peace
(Ps. 85:10)
We Are Forgiven Through Him
LESSON 7
❑
Sunday
May 7
Part 1
What truth about forgiveness is taught by the ceremonial
"WITHOUT law?
SHEDDING
OF BLOOD"
"And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and
without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb. 9:22).
There is a principle recalled by every sacrifice from the very
gates of the Garden of Eden until the moment when Christ
became the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. That
principle is that forgiveness of sins requires death. We add "of
sins" because that is the entire function of the sacrificial sys-
tem. Forgiveness and remission are virtually identical in the
original. The antitype of the sacrifices is the ground or basis for
our forgiveness..Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross shed His blood
in the act of becoming our. Sin Bearer.
Where was the decision for our redemption sealed? Luke
22:41, 42.
"Christ [in Gethsemane] was now standing in a different at-
titude from that in which He had ever stood before. His suffering
can best be described in the words of the prophet, 'Awake, 0
sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My
fellow, saith the Lord of hosts.' Zech. 13:7. As the substitute and
surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice.
He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an interces-
sor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for
Himself."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 686.
This is the struggle that brought the blood sweat and broke
the heart of the Saviour. This was the price paid for our forgive-
ness. How can we question His love or His willingness to forgive
when He paid such a price to make it possible?
THINK IT THROUGH
Have I accepted Gethsemane and Calvary as mine?
"Jesus loves to have us come to Him just as we are, sinful,
helpless, dependent. We may come with all our weakness, our
folly, our sinfulness, and fall at His feet in penitence. It is His
glory to encircle us in the arms of His love and to bind up our
wounds, to cleanse us from all impurity.
•
"Here is where thousands fail; they do not believe that Jesus
pardons them personally, individually. They do not take God at
His word. It is the privilege of all who comply with the conditions
to know for themselves that pardon is freely extended for every
sin. Put away the suspicion that God's promises are not meant
for you. They are for every repentant transgressor. Strength and
grace have been provided through Christ to be brought by
ministering angels to every believing soul."—Steps
to Christ,
pp. 52, 53.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 685-693.
58
We Are Forgiven Through Him
LESSON 7
❑
Monday
May 8
' Part 2
' Since Christ has shed His blood for the forgiveness of our
"AS WE sins, is there anything we need to do about it?
FORGIVE"
"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matt.
6:12).
THINK IT THROUGH
From childhood most of us have prayed the Lord's Prayer,
including this particular petition. Have we really thought about
its significance? If God truly forgives us only to the degree that
we forgive others their trespasses against us, how is it with us?
As we come to offer our gifts of penitence and prayer, asking
forgiveness, do we need to go and be reconciled to a brother
somewhere before we can come and offer our gifts?
After He had given what we speak of as the Lord's Prayer,
Jesus went on to repeat, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not
men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your tres-
passes" (verses 14, 15).
It may lead us to wonder whether Jesus felt that this was the
most difficult part of the Lord's Prayer for us to enter into—the
conditions on which forgiveness would be granted to us.
What other conditions are there to receiving God's forgive-
ness of our sins, apart from a willingness to forgive others?
(See 1 Tim. 5:24, 25; Rev. 20:12, 13.)
"Some men's sins are open beforehand, confessed in peni-
tence, and forsaken, and they go beforehand to judgment. Par-
don is written over against the names of theie men. But other
men's sins follow after, and they are not put away by repentance
and confession, and these sins will stand registered against
them in the books of heaven."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 916.
Is there a limit to the frequency with which forgiveness
should be granted? Matt. 18:21, 22. (See Luke 17:3, 4.)
"He who harbors within himself the idea that at some future
time he will not forgive, is far from extending true forgiveness
even though he may go through the form of forgiving. If the
spirit of forgiveness actuates the heart, a person will be as ready
to forgive a repentant soul the eighth time as thefirst time, or the
491st time as the eighth. True forgiveness is not limited by
numbers; furthermore, it is not the act that counts, but the spirit
that prompts the act. 'Nothing can justify an unforgiving spirit'
(COL 251)."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 449.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"The Measure of Forgiveness," pp.
247-251.
59
We Are Forgiven Through Him
LESSON 7
❑
Tuesday
May 9
Part 3
What vivid example does the New Testament offer us of
"POWER . . . Christ's clear recognition of His own right to forgive sins?
TO FORGIVE
SINS"
"But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on
earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,)
Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house" (Matt. 9:6).
The Desire of Ages
gives us a number of significant points on
this healing of the paralytic. (1) His disease was the result of a
life of sin. (2) Remorse had embittered his sufferings. (3) He had
been renounced by Pharisees and doctors. (4) He had fallen into
utter despair until he heard of the works of Jesus. (5) The reports
of the healings of others as sinful as himself encouraged his
faith. (6) He feared the purity of the Christ-physician. (7) He
yearned for relief from the burden of sin even more than for
physical restoration. (8) His condition was critical and there was
no time to lose. (9) It was the paralytic's own suggestion that
they enter Peter's crowded house through the flat roof. (10)
Christ had convicted the conscience of the paralytic while he
was yet at home. (11) Christ had watched the man's faith grow
as he conquered each obstacle to come to the Lord.
This background explains Christ's immediate word, "Son, be
of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matt. 9:2). Note that
the paralytic makes no further request. Christ reads the hearts
of the Pharisees present as He challenges which would be
greater, to forgive sins or to cause the man to walk. Without
awaiting their decision, He gives the command to the paralytic
after a clear indication that He will now demonstrate "that the
Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins."
To the paralytic He says, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto
thine house." The Gospels record the glorious results.
THINK IT THROUGH
Can you turn away from such a Saviour?
"Oh, wondrous love of Christ, stooping to heal the guilty and
the afflicted! Divinity sorrowing over and soothing the ills of
suffering humanity! Oh, marvelous power thus displayed to the
children of men! Who can doubt the message of salvation? Who
can slight the mercies of a compassionate Redeemer?"—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 269.
How did the healing of the paralytic demonstrate Christ's
right and power to forgive sins?
"He who at the creation 'spake, and it was,' who 'com-
manded, and it stood fast,' (Ps. 33:9), had spoken life to the soul
dead in trespasses and sins. The healing of the body was an
evidence of the power that had renewed the heart."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
p. 270.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 267-271.
60
We Are Forgiven Through Him
LESSON 7
❑
Wednesday
May 10
Part 4
"PEACE WITH
GOD"
What is the basis for a man's peace with God?
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).
We may question in our minds what connection justification
may have with forgiveness. We may agree that being justified by
faith produces peace with God but may claim that we do not see
the relationship to forgiveness, which is the topic for this week's
lesson. But if we will look back into the closing verses of Ro-
mans 4, we will see the very close relationship. Speaking of
Abraham's faith and how it was counted to him for righteous-
ness, the apostle continues, "Now it was not written for his sake
alone, that it was imputed to him: but for us also, to whom it
shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our
Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and
was raised again for our justification" (Rom. 4:23-25).
Clearly it is for our sins or offenses that Christ was delivered to
the death of the cross, as we studied earlier in this week's
lesson, and it was the acceptance by the Father of Christ's
perfect sacrifice for our offenses that entitled Jesus to exercise
His own power in rising from the dead so that He might count to
us His righteousness and impart to us His life-giving power. And
it is the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord that affords us
peace with God through our justification. We have peace with
God because we are counted righteous in Jesus Christ and,
being counted righteous, we are treated by the Father as if we
had never sinned. (See
Steps to Christ, "The Test of Disciple-
ship," p. 62.)
THINK IT THROUGH
How closely are pardon and justification identified one with
the other?
"Pardon and justification are one and the same thing.
Through faith, the believer passes from the position of a rebel, a
child of sin and Satan, to the position of a loyal subject of Christ
Jesus, not because of an inherent goodness, but because Christ
receives him as His child by adoption. The sinner receives the
forgiveness of his sins, because these sins are borne by his
Substitute and Surety. The Lord speaks to His heavenly Father,
saying: 'This is My child. I reprieve him from the condemnation
of death, giving him My life insurance policy—eternal life—
because I have taken his place and have suffered for his sins. He
is even My beloved son.' Thus man, pardoned, and clothed with
the beautiful garments of Christ's righteousness, stands fault-
less before God."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Com-
mentary,
vol. 6, p. 1070.
FURTHER STUDY
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 6, pp. 1070-1073.
61
We Are Forgiven Through Him
LESSON 7
❑
Thursday
May 11
Part 5
With a seemingly foolproof case of a punishable sin before
"NEITHER DO Him, how does Christ reveal the character of God?
I CONDEMN
THEE"
"And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go,
and sin no more" (John 8:11).
We may hardly need to sketch the experience which gave rise
to these words. Let us, however, just remind ourselves of a
woman supposedly taken in the act of adultery and being
brought before Christ for His judgment. In the process, Christ is
reminded of what Moses said should happen to such a woman;
therefore He is seemingly placed in the dilemma either of agree-
ing with Moses and seeing this woman stoned or of openly
rebelling against the teachings of the Old Testament. There was
the additional problem that if He declared the woman worthy of
death, he could be accused to the Romans as one who was
assuming their prerogatives.
We remember what Jesus did in writing in the dust the sins of
the accusers of the woman, those who themselves had led the
woman into sin. They see their own guilty secrets traced in the
dust, and they slink away one by one.
Finally left with the woman, her accusers gone, Christ asked
her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man
condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto
her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John
8:10, 11). This is God speaking to a pathetic and pitiful sinner.
"Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. The greater
the sinner's guilt, the more he needs the Saviour. His heart of
divine love and sympathy is drawn out most of all for the one
who is the most hopelessly entangled in the snares of the
enemy. With His own blood He has signed the emancipation
papers of the race."—The
Ministry of Healing,
pp. 89, 90.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the attitude of God toward the guilty secrets of our
own hearts?
"Men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the
sin, but loves the sinner. This will be the spirit of all who follow
Him. Christian love is slow to censure, quick to discern peni-
tence, ready to forgive, to encourage, to set the wanderer in the
path of holiness, and to stay his feet therein."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 462.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Faith and Acceptance," pp. 54, 55;
The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 460-462.
62
We Are Forgiven Through Him
LESSON 7
❑
Friday
May 12
Part 6
In
the
plan and character of God, what is the relationship
THE KISS between righteousness and peace?
OF PEACE
"Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other"
Psalm 85:10, RSV.
In the character, government, and plan of salvation of our
Lord, righteousness and peace are in perfect harmony. To put
the matter less poetically than does the psalmist: There is no
conflict between law and grace, between obedience and love,
between repentance and faith.
The peace which passeth all understanding comes because
God has made provision for Christ's righteousness to stand in
place of our sinfulness, and indeed, in place of our righteous-
ness.
THINK IT THROUGH
Why does Christ say to forgiven sinners, Go and sin no
more?
The plan of salvation is not a device for excusing sin that we
may continue therein. The plan of salvation is God's plan for
destroying sin, ultimately forever.
"The law requires righteousness,—a righteous life, a perfect
character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the
claims of God's holy law. But Christ, coming tothe earth as man,
lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He
offers as a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for
the life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God. More than this Christ embues
men with the attributes of God. He builds up the human charac-
ter after the similitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of
spiritual strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of
the law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can 'be just, and
the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.' Rom. 3:26."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 762.
What has been Satan's plan from the beginning?
"God's love has been expressed in His justice no less than in
His mercy. Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit
of His love. It had been Satan's purpose to divorce mercy from
-
truth and justice. He sought to prove that the righteousness of
God's law is an enemy to peace. But Christ shows that in God's
plan they are indissolubly joined together; the one cannot exist
without the other. 'Mercy and truth are met together; righteous-
ness and peace have kissed each other.' Ps. 85:10."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
p. 762.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 371, 372.
63
"Nicodemus saith unto him,
How can a man be born when he
is old? can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb,
and be born?" (John 3:4).
in these words Nicodemus
attempted to change the subject
of his interview with Jesus. He
was ready to debate on the
"how" of the new birth, when
Christ wanted to speak about
the "why" of it. So it is today.
When the Spirit of God presses
conviction home to the con-
science, an enlightened reason
says it is time to surrender; but
pride says, How can
We Are Born Again
LESSON 8
❑
Sunday
May 14
Part 1
Just how essential is it to salvation that a person be born
"EXCEPT" again?
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God" (John 3:3).
Nicodemus was not accustomed to having his needs pointed
out by anyone. But there was reason for him to be shocked out
of his complacency and self-righteousness by this bold and
deeply personal assertion: You, Nicodemus, you must be born
again.
What symbol did the Lord use in Old Testament times to
communicate the idea of a person's changing from a life of sin
to one of righteousness? Eze. 36:25, 26.
Note that it is the work of God to give a heart of flesh; and that
the direction of the new birth is from above. It is in no way an
improving of or modifying of the old life to make it better. It is to
be "born over again" (NEB).
THINK IT THROUGH
What does it really mean to be born again?
"Satan leads people to think that because they have felt a
rapture of feeling, they are converted. But their experience does
not change. Their actions are the same as before. Their lives
show no good fruit. They pray often and long, and are con-
stantly referring to the feelings they had at such and such a time.
But they do not live the new life. They are deceived. Their
experience goes no deeper than feeling. They build upon the
sand, and when adverse winds come, their house is swept
away."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 1164.
Perhaps someone is objecting that we have switched from the
topic of the new birth to that of conversion. It is not a switch in
topics, because the inspired counsel uses "new birth" and
"conversion" to refer to the same experience.
"The youth especially stumble over the phrase, 'a new heart.'
They do not know what it means. They look for a special change
to take place in their feelings. This they term conversion. Over
this error thousands have stumbled to ruin, not understanding
the expression, 'Ye must be born again.' . . .
"When Jesus speaks of the new heart, he means the mind, the
life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw
the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To
have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new
motives. What is the sign of a new heart?—a changed life. There
is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride."—Ellen G.
White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, pp. 1164, 1165.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 167-171.
66
We Are Born Again
LESSON 8
❑
Monday
May 15
Part 2
As Nicodemus attempts to parry Christ's insistence upon
"OF WATER the new birth by debating the literal meaning of Christ's
AND OF THE words, what response does he receive?
SPIRIT"
"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
THINK IT THROUGH
"Nicodemus knew that Christ here referred to water baptism
and the renewing of the heart by the Spirit of God. He was
convinced that he was in the presence of the One whom John
the Baptist had foretold."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 172.
Nicodemus was acquainted with the preaching of John the
Baptist on the subjects of repentance and baptism. He had
heard the prediction of One who should come to baptize with
the Holy Spirit. He had felt that there was a great spiritual need
among his own people, but he had not yet come to see that he, a
leader in Israel, could have any such spiritual need.
"Nicodemus anticipated admission into the kingdom of God
as a natural-born, devout Jew, but Jesus declared that anything
less than a complete transformation of the life by the power of
the Holy Spirit was inadequate.. .
"To be 'born of water and of the Spirit' is equivalent to being
'born again,' that is, 'from above.' ... Those who are born from
above have God as their Father and resemble Him in character
(see 1 John 3:1-3; cf. John 8:39, 44). Henceforth, they aspire, by
the grace of Christ, to live above sin (Rom. 6:12-16) and do not
yield their wills to commit sin (1 John 3:9; 5:18)."—SDA
Bible
Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 928.
Could I be hiding behind a doctrinal debate my inner convic-
tion of my own soul's great need of Christ? (See 2 Peter 1:3,4.)
"The old nature, born of blood and the will of the flesh, cannot
inherit the kingdom of God. The old ways, the hereditary tend-
encies, the former habits, must be given up; for grace is not in-
herited. The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes
new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the
Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in
all their habits and practices they will give evidence of their rela-
tionship to Christ. When men who claim to be Christians retain
all their natural defects of character and disposition, in what does
their position differ from that of the worldling? They do not appre-
ciate the truth as a sancitifier, a refiner. They have not been born
again"—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol.
6, p.1101.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 366-368.
67
We Are Born Again
LESSON 8
❑
Tuesday
May 16
Part 3
When Nicodemus continued to have difficulty accepting the
LISTEN TO remedy which Christ offered for his sinful soul, what illustra-
THE WIND! tion did Christ use to help him?
"The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the
sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither
it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8).
Even with our modern, sophisticated methods of meteorolog-
ical investigation, we cannot control the wind. We cannot see
the wind, but we can see the effects of its work. And in Christ's
day, even more than in our own, the point of origin and the point
of destination of the wind were beyond human comprehension,
let alone control. "So is every one that is born of the Spirit."
When the wind blows, there is evidence of its action. We may not
be able to see it, measure it, or control it. The evidence is there.
The trees bend, the dust flies, the giant windmill turns, creating
power. The calm lake is whipped into a frothy fury. There are
results. There are changes. These are perceptible. "So is every
one that is born of the Spirit." So the little song is true, "Things
are different now, something's happened to me since I gave my
heart to Jesus."
THINK IT THROUGH
How does the figure of the wind illustrate the work of the
Holy Spirit?
"The wind is heard among the branches of the trees, rustling
the leaves and flowers; yet it is invisible, and no man knows
whence it comes or whither it goes. So with the work of the Holy
Spirit upon the heart. It can no more be explained than can the
movements of the wind....
"While the wind itself is invisible, it produces effects that are
seen and felt. So the work of the Spirit upon the soul will reveal
itself in every act of him who has felt its saving power. When the
Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life.
... The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself
to God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a
new being in the image of God.
"It is impossible for finite minds to comprehend the work of
redemption. Its mystery exceeds human knowledge; yet He who
passes from death to life realizes that it is a divine reality. The
beginning of redemption we may know here through a personal
experience. Its results reach through the eternal ages."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 172, 173.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"The Test of Discipleship," pp. 57-59.
68
We Are Born Again
LESSON 8
❑
Wednesday
May 17
Part 4
After giving Nicodemus some gentle reproof for his ignor-
LOOK AND ance of basic truths, what more familiar illustration did Christ
LIVE use to help Nicodemus to understand the plan of salvation?
THINK IT THROUGH
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14,15).
Nicodemus had been drawn by what he had seen and heard of
Christ before he obtained this personal interview with Him.
Jesus pierced through his defensiveness and had been very
forthright and deeply personal with him. But Nicodemus sensed
such love in the Saviour that he took no offense. Christ had even
pointed out how little he knew of the things that really mattered
for one who held such a position of leadership in Israel.
There was a growing longing in the heart of Nicodemus for
the experience which Christ was presenting as a new birth. The
Lord gave him an illustration that he would readily grasp.
"Here was ground with which Nicodemus was familiar. The
symbol of the uplifted serpent made plain to him the Saviour's
mission. When the people of Israel were dying from the sting of
the fiery serpents, God directed Moses to make a serpent of
brass, and place it on high in the midst of the congregation.
Then the word was sounded throughout the encampment that
all who would look upon the serpent should live. The people
well knew that in itself the serpent had no power to help them. It
was a symbol of Christ. . . . Whether for the healing of their
wounds or the pardon of their sins, they could do nothing for
themselves but show their faith in the Gift of God. They were to
look and live."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 174, 175.
Are pride, independence, or demand for scientific or histor-
ical justification of Christ's claim depriving me of the look that
gives life?
"Not through controversy and discussion is the soul en-
lightened. We must look and l
ive."—The Desire of Ages,
p. 175.
As stressed in the introduction to this lesson, not all experi-
ences are alike, because not all individuals are alike. But all true
conversions have this in common: They result from our faith in
what Christ has done for us, and not from one shred of confi-
dence in anything that we have done or can do for ourselves. It
was unscientific to expect the brass serpent to heal the people.
There was no historical precedent for believing in such a thing.
But God had made the provision, and God had made the prom-
ise; and the only requirement of the dying victims in Israel was
that they look and live.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 430-432.
69
We Are Born Again
LESSON 8
Thursd
ay
May 18
Part 5
What evidence is there in Scripture to show that either
BELIEVING choice of wrong or rejection of right leads to eternal loss?
AND
DELIVERANCE
"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not
believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this
is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were
evil" (John 3:18, 19).
THINK IT THROUGH
It is a solemn thought that we are in the land of the enemy, that
we come into the world with inherited propensities to evil. But.
God has given us hope through the death of Jesus for our
redemption. Condemnation in
.
the day of judgment will arise
from an unwillingness to accept the means which God has
provided. The lost thus show the same type of independenth
and determination to go their own way and have their own will
as brought sin into the world in the very beginning. Just as those
who refused .tolook upon the brass serpent died, so those who
refuse to look in faith to Christ will perish.
"While the sinner cannot save himself, he still has something
to do to secure salvation. 'Him that cometh to Me,' says Christ, 'I
will in no wise cast out.' John 6:37. But we must
come
to Him;
and when we repent of our sins, we must believe that He accepts
and pardons us. Faith is the gift of God, but the power to
exercise it is ours. Faith is the hand by which the soul takes hold
upon the divine offers of grace and
mercy."—Patriarchs and
Prophets,
p. 431.
What is the origin of my faith, my believing, that brings me
deliverance from the sting of the serpent?
Inadvertently, it is possible that many are making
faith
their
savior, or the
name
of Jesus their savior. And some quote Acts
4:12 in support of their position: "There is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
-But does that mean that our salvation has been obtained by a
name?
Has our salvation been obtained by our
faith?
"Through faith we receive the grace of God; but faith is not
our Saviour. It earns nothing. It is the hand by which we lay hold
upon Christ, and appropriate His merits, the remedy for sin."—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 175.
It was not a name that came and died on. Calvary. It was Jesus
Christ, the eternal Son of the living God.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies to Ministers,
pp. 367-370.
70
We Are Born Again
LESSON 8
❑
Friday
May 19
Part 6
Believing brings deliverance from condemnation of sin.
BELIEVING How does believing Telate to the work of the Holy Spirit in
AND THE human hearts?
SPIRIT
THINK IT THROUGH
"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus
-
stood and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and
drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he
of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for
the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not
yet glorified.)" (John 7:37-39).
It is important to remember
-
that in His conversation. with
Nicodemus Jesus indicated that the new•birth is the work of the
Holy Spirit. While Christ has purchased the means of redemp-
tion, the application in the individual heart and life of that
redemption and redeeming grace is brought by the Holy Spirit.
(See John 3:8.)
What is the way that old things pass away and all things
become new, when a man becomes anew creature in Christ?
2 Cor. 5:17-19.
"Like the wind, which is invisible, yet the effects of which are
plainly seen and felt, is the Spirit of God in its work upon the
human heart. That regenerating power, which no human eye
can see, begets a new life in the soul; it creates a new being in
the image of God."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 57.
Do I have to go in search of the Holy Spirit to receive the
presence and power of Jesus Christ? Have I received the Holy
Spirit? How can I know?
Note the words of our text of the day particularly: "But this
spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive." The Holy Spirit is•engaged in drawing us to Christ in
the first place. When.we respond in faith and acceptance, when
we trust Christ and surrender to Him, the Holy Spirit comes to
bring the presence and power of Christ into the heart. Then, as it
were, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." The
power of the Spirit for overcoming sin, and the power of the
Spirit for effectual witness, come to the believer as a conse-
quence of his faith in Jesus Christ.
By what four questions did Jesus teach us of His Father's
willingness to give us the Holy Spirit? Luke 11:11-13.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"The Test of Discipleship," pp. 60-65.
71
LESSON 9 May 21-27
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee" (Isa.
16:3).
Recently an aged apartment dweller
spoke of a contact with a Jewish
neighbor. They became good friends
and spoke together of things spiritual.
On one occasion the Christian brother
greeted his Jewish friend thus:
"Shalom, shalom." "Oh," said the
Jewish friend, "do you really mean
that?" "Yes," said the Christian,
"Shalom, shalom."
These are the words in our text as we
begin this lesson study. Thou wilt keep
him in
shalom, shalom—in
peace,
peace. To the Hebrew the repetition of
a term gave to it a depth of meaning, a
measure of appeal which is difficult for
the Western mind to comprehend
perhaps. We have picked up in
modern parlance this term and use it
rather freely as a greeting, "Shalom,
shalom." But God will keep him in
peace, peace,
shalom, shalom,
whose
mind is stayed on the Lord, because he
trusts in Him. And there is good
reason to expect to find this peace in
Him, for the messenger goes on to
instruct us, "Trust ye in the Lord for
ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is
everlasting strength" (verse 4).
Has there ever been a time in human
history when men were more fearful
of what the future holds? Where is
security? Where is peace to be found?
Those with little or nothing are fearful
about how they will survive, as their
little has less and less power to supply
their needs. Those who have much are
fearful of how much they will lose
when their much comes to naught.
There is less and less confidence to
be had in those things in which men
have always thought that they could
have confidence. Distrust is in the very
air we breathe. It is no longer distrust
of thieves and murderers and
extortioners only that men endure.
They no longer are sure that they can
trust those who are the appointed
peace-keepers, those who have been
appointed to rule and to lead in the
affairs of men and nations.
Sometimes those who have
attempted to send relief to countries
devastated by natural disasters have
been appalled to find fellow
countrymen of the suffering
multitudes attempting to take by force
from the rescue workers food and
clothing being brought in by the relief
agencies. These men would then sell
the supplies on the "black market" for
exorbitant personal profit, while their
own perishing fellow countrymen
died of starvation and exposure.
•
But heartrending as these
happenings are that shatter our peace
and drive sleep from ou rpillows, they
are not quite the equal of the nagging
condemnation and inner restlessness
of spirit which are the consequence of
one's personal guilt. So often those
whose minds are breaking down
under modern stress and tension are
losing their equanimity because of the
deep depressions and
self-condemnation that come with
awareness of guilt. Men may escape
the law and pay no penalty imposed by
society upon their deeds. But they
have to live with themselves, and often
it seems more than they can do.
As we have studied thus far this
quarter the means by which we can be
reconciled to God, we have been
confronted with the opportunity of
taking those steps to Christ which
would make us at peace with God and
bring into our lives
shalom, shalom.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
"My Peace"
(John 14:27)
2.
"He Reconciled"
(Col. 1:21)
3.
"He Is Our Peace"
(E h. 2:14)
4.
"God . . . in Christ Reconciling"
(2 Cor. 5:19)
5.
"Merciful . . . High Priest"
(Heb. 2:17)
6.
"In Me . . . Peace"
(John 16:33)
We Are At Peace
LESSON 9
❑
Sunday
May 21
Part 1
"MY PEACE"
THINK IT THROUGH
Just before He went to the cross, what marvelous assur-
ance did Christ share with His band of disciples?
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
These were among the many precious words which Jesus
spoke to His disciples in the last few hours before He went to
Gethsemane and the cruel mockery of trials leading to Calvary.
It was the time when He promised that He would not leave them
orphans, that He would send the Comforter to them, the
Paraclete—the
One who would be alongside them in the place
of Jesus. And with all that He knew was just hours away from
Him and them, He could offer them peace—not just the world's
peace, but His peace. What is wrong with the world's peace? It is
so uncertain, so unpredictable. But Jesus Christ offers peace
like a river to my soul—not a shallow, bubbling brook, but a
deep-flowing crystal-pure river of the water of life.
We know what kind of peace Christ offered to His disciples
because He exhibited that peace in His own person. In the midst
of the caviling scribes and Pharisees, under false condemna-
tion of hired false witnesses, under the threats, epithets, and
curses of the mob, He was at peace. The only disturbance of
Jesus' peace that we see was when in Gethsemane He became
our Sin Bearer. This is why His body swayed as though beaten
by a tempest. This is why He clung to the ground as though to
hold Himself back from the abyss into which our sins were
pressing Him. This is why He sweat as it were great drops of
blood. This is why He cried out in anguish for the Father to take
away the cup if possible. He made the renewal of the commit-
ment and agreement which He and the Father had made before
the foundations of the world were laid. He determined to go
through with the contract, to complete the mission. An angel
sent from heaven strengthened Him, and He came forth from
the agony of Gethsemane with peace in His heart and peace in
His countenance.
What easily troubles my heart? What makes me afraid?
Could it be that I have not yet accepted the peace which Christ
left for me?
"This peace is not the peace that comes through conformity
to the world. Christ never purchased peace by compromise with
evil. The peace that Christ left His disciples is internal rather
than external and was ever to remain with His witnesses
through strife and contention."—The
Acts of the Apostles,
p. 84.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 672.
74
We Are At Peace
LESSON 9
❑
Monday
May 22
Part 2
When we by nature are enemies of God, how can we be at
"HE RECONCILED" peace with Him?
"And you, that were some time alienated and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled" (Col.
1:21).
We stressed in the introduction of the lesson that guilt is the
greatest destroyer of our inner peace, and that Christ has made
provision for us to receive His peace. This the apostle Paul well
understood and explained to the church at Colossae. Yet he
pointed them to the cross and the blood of the cross by which
peace has been made between God and sinful man, because
through the blood of the cross it is possible for all things to be
reconciled to God through Christ. And we who by nature were
alienated and enemies of God by our wicked works and our
inherited propensities toward evil—even we can be reconciled
"in the body of his flesh through death" so that we might be
presented "holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight"
(verse 22).
That term "reconciled" does not appear a great many times in
the Scriptures. In the Old Testament it is mostly used in connec-
tion with the sanctuary services whereby the shed blood pro-
vides an atonement or a cover
(kaphar)
so that sinful man can be
at peace with a holy and righteous God. In the New Testament it
carries most frequently the thought of being
-
thoroughly
changed, and how beautiful a thought that is. Christ has made
provision for us to be thoroughly changed so that, whereas we
were at enmity with God through sin, we now can be at peace
with God and be the friends of God through righteousness—not
our own righteousness, but through the righteousness of Jesus
Christ in whom we believe. And, strangely and beautifully, the
more we contemplate our dependence upon His righteousness,
then the more we recognize that we can make no contribution
to improve upon that righteousness of His; with the result that
our will is surrendered more completely to the indwelling of His
Spirit, who creates within us a new man after the likeness of
Jesus our Saviour and Redeemer.
THINK IT THROUGH
What grounds do I have for claiming or expecting reconcilia-
tion with God?
"We have nothing in ourselves of which to boast. We have no
ground for self-exaltation. Our only ground of hope is in the
righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and in that wrought by
His Spirit working in and through
us."—Steps to Christ,
p. 63.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 395, 396.
75
We Are At Peace
LESSON 9
❑
Tuesday
May 23
Part 3
What blessed assurance does the apostle Paul offer Gentile
"HE IS OUR believers to share with Christ's followers in Israel?
PEACE"
.
"For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath
broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Eph.
2:14).
"He is our peace.
The 'he' is emphatic in the Greek. Christ is
not only the peacemaker; He Himself is peace, the bond of
union and of peace. In Him all the divisions of mankind are to be
abolished. . . .
"Middle wall of partition.
Literally, 'partition wall of the
fence,' meaning, 'the partition wall which is the fence.' The
imagery may have been derived from the barrier in the Temple
separating the court of the Gentiles from the court of the Jews.
. . . Beyond this wall no Gentile dared
go."—SDA Bible Com-
mentary,
vol. 6, p. 1009.
Paul had been addressing himself to the Christians at
Ephesus, many of whom, if not most, would be of Gentile
background. He reminded them that at one time they were
"without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope,
and without God in the world" (verse 12). But now he assures
them that in Christ Jesus they who "sometimes were far off are
made nigh by the blood of Christ" (verse 13). And, really, that
had been God's intention all through the Old Testament era,
that those not of Israel should know from Israel and through
Israel that the blood of Messiah would be shed for them as well
as for Israel.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
76
What change in relationship between Jew and Gentile was
effected by Christ's death upon the cross?
"Through Christ the hidden glory of the holy of holies was to
stand revealed. He had suffered death for every man, and by this
offering the sons of men were to become the sons of God....
The mercy seat, upon which the, glory of God rested in the
holiest of all, is opened to all who accept Christ as the propitia-
tion for sin, and through its medium, they are brought into
fellowship with God. The veil is rent, the partition walls broken
down, the handwriting of ordinances canceled. By virtue of His
blood the enmity is abolished. Through faith in Christ Jew and
Gentile may partake of the living bread."—Ellen G. White Com-
ments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 1109.
"Christ recognized no distinction of nationality or rank or
creed.... Christ came to break down every wall of partition. He
came to show that His gift of mercy and love is as unconfined as
the air, the light, or the showers of rain that refresh the
earth."—Testimonies,
vol. 9, p. 190.
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 369-372.
We Are At Peace
LESSON 9
❑
Friday
May 26
Part 6
Is the peace which Jesus offers one that is free from trou-
"IN ME ble?
. . . PEACE"
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
It should be noted that the promises which Jesus offers in this
verse today were made to His disciples just before He would be
taken by the mob and led from trial to trial. The Lord predicted
that every one of His seemingly faithful followers would forsake
Him, and He would be left alone. "And yet," said Jesus, "I am not
alone, because the Father is with me" (verse 32).
No, the peace which Jesus offers is not peace which guaran-
tees immunity from trouble. But His peace is one which endures
in spite of trouble. In His own trials and agonies He had about
Him a peace which impressed the beholders that they were
looking upon the Majesty of heaven.
THINK IT THROUGH
Could the peace just described above be the peace of which
Paul was speaking in Philippians 4:7?
It is interesting again to note that this promise of "the peace of
God which passeth all understanding" is assured to those who
are anxious for nothing but who "in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving" make known their requests
unto God (verse 6). And these words were spoken by a man who
had been through every type of trial and persecution short of the
Gethsemane agony of the Lord Jesus Himself.
"Christ did not fail, neither was He discouraged; and His
followers are to manifest a faith of the same enduring nature.
They are to live as He lived, and work as He worked, because
they depend on Him as the great Master-worker."—Gospel
Workers,
p. 39.
"In order to be candidates for heaven we must meet the
requirement of the law: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and
with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself' (Luke 10:27). We
can do this only as we grasp by faith the righteousness of Christ.
By beholding Jesus we receive a living, expanding principle in
the heart, and the Holy Spirit carries on the work, and the
believer advances from grace to grace, from strength to
strength, from character to character. He conforms to the image
of Christ, until in spiritual growth he attains unto the measure of
the full stature in Christ Jesus. Thus Christ makes an end of the
curse of sin, and sets the believing soul free from its action and
effect."—Selected Messages,
bk. 1, p. 395.
Shalom, shalom.
FURTHER STUDY
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 84-86.
79
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Ourselves
LESSON 10
❑
Sunday
May 28
Part 1
In the preparation of the materials for the building of the
"WHO . . . IS temple of the Lord, what appeal did David make to the congre-
WILLING?" gation of Israel?
"And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day
unto the Lord?" (1 Chron. 29:5).
We remember well the desire of King David to build a temple
unto the Lord, but he was not permitted this privilege primarily
because he had been a man of war. We recall, however, that he
desired to do everything possible short of building the temple,
and so he gave generously of the riches that were his at the peak
of the power of the kingdom of Israel. He accumulated gold,
silver, brass, iron, wood, precious stones of varying kinds and
colors, and marble in abundance.
In the light of his consecration to God's service, David ap-
pealed to the princes and to the congregation of Israel also to
make a consecration to the Lord.
There was great rejoicing as the people brought in their gifts.
"Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, be-
cause with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and
David the king also rejoiced with great joy" (1 Chron. 29:9).
The dedication of the people and of their gifts was made with
the whole heart. They were not holding back. Their dedication
was complete, finished, and whole—a genuine consecreation.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is my personal brand of Christianity the dedication of my
whole heart?
Ellen G. White wrote of the rich young ruler that he "must
accept the conditions of discipleship. He must give himself
unreservedly to God. At the Saviour's call, John, Peter,
Matthew, and their companions 'left all, rose up, and followed
Him.' Luke 5:28. The same consecration was required of the
young ruler. And in this Christ did not ask a greater sacrifice
than He Himself had made. 'He was rich, yet for your sakes He
became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.' 2 Cor.
8:9. The young man had only to follow where Christ led the
way."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 393.
"To the rich no less than to the poor are the words of the Holy
Spirit spoken, 'Ye are not your own; for ye are bought with a
price.' 1 Cor. 6:19, 20. When men believe this, their possessions
will be held as a trust, to be used as God shall direct, for the
saving of the lost, and the comfort of the suffering and the poor.
With man this is impossible, for the heart clings to its earthly
treasure.... But with God all things are possible. By beholding
the matchless love of Christ, the selfish heart will be melted and
subdued."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 394.
FURTHER STUDY
Matthew 19:16-30; 20:1-16.
82
We Consecrate Ourselves
LESSON 10
❑
Monday
May 29
Part 2
WHO OPENS
THE DOOR?
How would Christ's message to the Laodicean church relate
to the question of consecration?
"Here I stand knocking at the door; if anyone hears my voice
and opens the door, I will come in and sit down to supper with
him and he with me" (Rev. 3:20, NEB).
Let us never overlook the fact that Christ is standing at the
heart door of the people of this church, and He is knocking for
admission. In one sense this is not an experience unique to any
single individual, or to any particular period of the church's
history, or to any one segment of human history.
With every believer in Christ there has been the experience of
His knocking at the heart's door. At no time has He forced an
entrance. At all times He has been the pursuer of the lost rather
than the reverse. The Laodicean church in a unique way has this
problem of the human heart. Whereas others have kept Christ at
the door because of covetousness, riches, lust, or false doc-
trine, the Laodiceans keep Him at the door because they do not
feel their need of Him. Spiritually speaking they feel rich and
increased with goods and in need of nothing. This condition
blinds them to their true spiritual state, so that when the
heavenly Merchantman offers them the riches of eternity. the
spiritual equipment to be ready for His swiftly coming kingdom
and the hour of judgment, they feel no need.
THINK IT THROUGH
Can a person maintain his Laodicean condition of heart and
still consecrate himself to the Lord?
He who persists in maintaining his Laodicean condition will
keep the Lord standing at the door of his heart.
Do we perhaps weary of hearing the Laodicean message?
"Some may say, Why is this message sounded so constantly
in our ears? It is because you do not thoroughly repent. You do
not live in Christ and have Christ abiding in you. When one idol
is expelled from the soul, Satan has another prepared to supply
its place. Unless you make an entire consecration to Christ and
live in communion with Him, unless you make Him your Coun-
selor, you will find that your heart, open to evil thoughts, is
easily diverted from the sevice of God to the service of self."—
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 107, 108.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Go Into the Highways and Hedges,"
pp. 235-237.
83
We Consecrate Ourselves
LESSON 10
❑
Tuesday
May 30
Part 3
KEEP YOUR
FIRST LOVE
Can one be truly consecrated to God if his love is any less
than once it was?
"I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love
you had at first" (Rev. 2:4, RSV).
The following verse clearly answers the question by indicat-
ing that those who have abandoned their first love "have fallen"
and need to "repent and do the works . . . [they] did at first"
(verse 5). It is impossible to have true consecration when there
has been a lessening of the love that once we had for our
Saviour. This manifested itself in that faith which works by love.
How is it in human relationships? Do you love your wife or
husband as once you did? Do you love your son or daughter
as once you did? Do you love father or mother or brother or
sister as once you did?
True, there may be a modification of the love, the maturing of
it. It may have elements of greater peace and quiet confidence in
it than originally. But is it less intense, less wholehearted? Is it
subtle to the point of being deceptive? Is it clever?
THINK IT THROUGH
What test might I apply to know whether or not I have lost
any measure of my first love for Christ?
"The atmosphere of the church is so frigid, its spirit is of such
an order, that men and women cannot sustain or endure the
example of primitive and heaven-born piety. The warmth of their
first love is frozen up, and unless they are watered over by the
baptism of the Holy Spirit, their candlestick will be removed out
of its place, except they repent and do their first works. The first
works of the church were seen when the believers sought out
friends, relatives, and acquaintances, and with hearts overflow-
ing with love told the story of what Jesus was to them and what
they were to
Jesus."—Testimonies to Ministers,
pp. 167, 168.
In what way is Solomon's experience an illustration of a loss
of first love?
"Did Solomon know God when he was doing according to the
ways of idolaters?—No; he had forgotten the rich experience of
his youth and the prayers he had made in the temple. [Rev. 2:4, 5
quoted.]
"The candlestick was removed out of its place when Solomon
forgot God. He lost the light of God, he lost the wisdom of God,
he confounded idolatry with religion."—Ellen G. White Com-
ments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 2, p. 1032.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 279, 280.
84
We Consecrate Ourselves
LESSON 10
❑
Wednesday
May 31
Part 4
What characteristic does John see belonging to those who
"HE . . . DOES will stand for eternity?
GOD'S WILL"
"And that world is passing away with all its allurements, but
he who does God's will stands for evermore" (1 John 2:17,
NEB).
John has just been urging us not to set our hearts upon the
godless world. He has pointed out that anyone who loves the
world is a stranger to the Father's love. Everything the world
affords—all that panders to the appetites or entices the eyes, all
the glamour of its life—springs from the godless world. And
that
world is passing away. (See verses 15 and 16.)
We can only believe that under inspiration and in the experi-
ence of revelation, John has foreseen the disintegration of this
world and all that belongs to it as the godless world. By contrast
he sees those who do God's will standing eternally. We cannot
rejoice with the thought that the people of the godless world will
be destroyed with it, but we can rejoice that those who do God's
will will stand forever.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is there generally a relationship between consecration and
obedience?
"Moses defines genuine consecration as obedience to God,
to stand in vindication of the right and to show a readiness to
carry out the purpose of God in the most unpleasant duties,
showing that the claims of God are higher than the claims of
friends or the lives of the nearest relatives. The sons of Levi
consecrated themselves to God to execute His justice against
crime and
sin."—Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 301.
We may wonder what was the setting for this definition of
consecration as obedience to God. It is an inspired commentary
upon the occasion when Israel, with Aaron's cooperation, made
a golden calf such as they had seen worshiped in Egypt and
caused the people to bow down to it and to inflame their senses
with rioting and drunkenness. It was on this occasion, as Moses
returned from the presence of the Lord, that he took a strong
and awful stand in the face of apostasy. (See Exodus 32.)
This is a side to consecration that we hear or see little of
today. We may console ourselves that we are not living under a
theocracy and therefore such stern steps as these cannot be
taken. Certainly the fact that the church today is living under
many different jurisdictions, different governments, different
philosophies of government, differing laws, has a bearing. But it
is a solemn question whether the church of Jesus Christ today,
through its leadership and ministry, through its institutional
directors, is prepared to equate obedience and consecration as
was done when Moses came down from the mount.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 3, pp. 300-304.
85
We Consecrate Ourselves
LESSON 10
❑
Thursday
June 1
Part 5
NOT A
SINNER
According to the apostle John, what is the relationship of a
consecrated man to the practice of sin?
"We know that no child of God is a sinner; it is the Son of God
who keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot touch him"
(1 John 5:18, NEB).
Almost any translation of this text carries the same message.
"The true child of God does not sin, he is in the charge of God's
own Son and the evil one cannot touch him" (Phillips).
There can be no compromise with sin on the part of him who
is consecrated to God. Sin and he are in opposite camps. Sin
belongs to the camp of the evil one, and righteousness belongs
to the camp of Jesus Christ. A man cannot be serving in both
camps. This is not to say that he will never falter, never fail, never
stumble; but it is clear whose side he is on, which direction he is
traveling, and for which cause he is fighting. When he falls, he
acknowledges it; he grieves that he has fallen; he confesses his
error, and he seeks restoration in the Lord; and he listens even
more carefully to his Commander. Sinning is the contradiction
of consecration. "No one who abides in him sins; no one who
sins has either seen him or known him" (1 John 3:6, RSV).
"It is through faith in Jesus Christ that the truth is accepted in
the heart and the human agent is purified and cleansed. Jesus
was 'wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed.' Is it possible to be healed, while
knowingly committing sin?—No; it is genuine faith that says, I
know that I have committed sin, but that Jesus has pardoned my
sin; and hereafter I will resist temptation in and through His
might."—Sons
and Daughters of God,
p. 297.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do the thoughts just presented mean that we have moved
back to righteousness by works?
"We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is
the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the
fruit of faith. [1 John 3:5, 6 quoted.] Here is the true test. If we
abide in Christ, if the love of God dwells in us, our feelings, our
thoughts, our purposes, our actions, will be in harmony with the
will of God as expressed in the precepts of His holy law. . . .
"That so-called faith in Christ which professes to release men
from the obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but
presumption."—Steps
to Christ,
p. 61.
Sinning is not the climate for consecration. The climate for
consecration is joyous, willing obedience to God's will.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 352, 353.
86
We Consecrate Ourselves
LESSON 10
❑
Friday
June 2
Part 6
What is to be the privilege of those who obey God?
"DO HIS
COMMANDMENTS"
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they
may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the
gates into the city" (Rev. 22:14).
THINK IT THROUGH
Some of the ancient authorities read this text as "Blessed are
those who wash their robes." If one's robes are washed in the
blood of the Lamb, will not such a person keep the command-
ments? Or can a person truly keep the commandments apart
from the cleansing blood of Jesus?
"Obedience to all the commandments of God was the condi-
tion of eating of, the tree of life. Adam fell by disobedience,
forfeiting by sin all right to use either the life-giving fruit of the
tree in the midst of the Garden, or its leaves, which are for the
healing of the nations.
"Obedience through Jesus Christ gives to man perfection of
character and a right to that tree of life."—Ellen G. White Com-
ments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 1086.
It is one of the greatest tragedies of our time that some among
us are fearful of speaking of obedience anymore, lest the very
mention of obedience to the. commandments of God would
suggest legalism. How successful the devil has been in confus-
ing the signposts on the highway of eternal life! It may help us to
keep our thinking straight on this matter if we will remember
what the plan of salvation is designed to do. It, is designed to
bring the ultimate conquest and destruction of sin.
Sin is disobedience to the law of God. It is a placing of one's
own will above the will of God. The plan of salvation is designed
to restore man to that harmony with the will of God in which he
was first created. So who can do anything but rejoice when men
choose the commandments of God as the rule of their lives? If
they are unhappy in their obedience to God, perhaps they have
not washed their robes recently.
By what means may I be numbered with that innumerable
company that will stand before the throne and before the
Lamb clothed in white robes with palm branches in their
hands? (See Rev. 7:9, 13, 14.)
"All who are found worthy to be counted as the members of
the family of God in heaven, will recognize one another as sons
and daughters of God. They will realize that they all receive their
strength and pardon from the same source, even from Jesus
Christ who was crucified for their sins. They know that they are
to wash their robes of character in His blood, to find acceptance
with the Father in His name, if they would be in the bright
assembly of the saints, clothed in the white robes of
righteousness."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, p. 259.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 9, pp. 285-288.
87
"For this very reason make
every effort to supplement
your faith with virtue, and
virtue with knowledge, and
knowledge with self=control,
and self-control with stead-
fastness, and steadfastness
with godliness, and godliness
with brotherly affection, and
brotherly affection with love.
For if these things are yours
and abound, they keep you
from being ineffective or
unfruitful in the knowledge of
our Lord Jesus Christ"
(2 Peter 1:5-8, RSV).
LESSON 11 June 4-10
Fruit bearing is the key to survival in
the world of nature. It should not
seem strange, therefore, that in
spiritual matters the Lord would desire
His true children to be fruitful. The
apostle Peter really understood and
expressed this in his second letter as
he lists a group of characteristics or
qualities that remind us strongly of
Paul's listing of the fruit of the Spirit in
Galatians 5:22, 23.
Peter goes on to indicate that a lack
of these characteristics or qualities in
the believer would indicate that he has
become shortsightedly blind and has
forgotten that he was cleansed from
his old sins. He also indicates that
those who will have that zeal that
would be productive of such fruit
would confirm their call and election.
He points out that if they would
continue in this fruitfulness, they
would never fall, and an abundant
entrance would be provided for them
into the eternal kingdom. (See 2 Peter
1:9-11.)
Sometimes our attention is drawn to
a letter like Galatians or Romans, and
we are almost given the impression
that the only subject of significance
presented in that letter is the subject
of faith or grace. What we often seem
to overlook is that in almost every one
of the New Testament epistles, while
there may be invitations to faith and
acceptance of grace in the early part of
the letter, the second major portion of
the letter invariably deals with the kind
of life that should be the result or
fruitage of faith and grace. Sometimes
the inspired writer gets down to some
matters which some of us might think
of today as being highly personal,
highly regulatory, certainly bordering
on the dangerous edges of legalism.
But such matters are presented by the
inspired writers without any trace of
apology.
We must not fall into the trap of
separating in any way our faith from
our works, any more than we would
try to hide the fact that grapes grow on
grapevines. Just the opposite is the
scriptural teaching and experience.
Fruit bearing is the evidence of the
liveliness of the tree. If the tree bears
no fruit, it is under suspicion, under
investigation, and is perhaps given a
time limit in which to give evidence of
fruitfulness or perish. If a fruit tree is
healthy and old enough, it will be fruit
bearing. So we may order from the
nursery catalog trees of such an age
that they are known as fruit-bearing
trees. We can expect them within the
first or second season of placing them
in our orchard to bear fruit. If they do
not, we can usually make a claim
against the nurseryman who has sold
us the stock.
What if a home gardener were to
hang some borrowed or purchased
fruit on his tree and say, Look at that
beautiful fruit tree? It would not
require much discernment to see
whether or not the fruit was attached
to the tree as a vital and living part of it.
The Scriptures even present the
Lord as one who is looking for fruit on
the vines planted in His vineyard, as
though He had a right to expect fruit.
But the vine does not concern itself, in
one sense, with fruit bearing. It
concerns itself with finding adequate
water supply and searching out the
nutrients in the soil. It lifts up its
branches also so that its leaves will
receive the life-giving rays of the sun.
If it has these necessities, it will bear
fruit.
As we study together this week's
lesson, may there be an earnest prayer
and longing in our hearts for fruit
bearing to the glory of God.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
"If You Have Love"
(John 13:35)
2.
"That the World May Know"
(John 17:22, 23)
3.
"I Am the Vine"
(John 15:5)
4.
"My Father . . . the Gardener"
(John 15:2)
5.
"Bear Much Fruit"
(John 15:8)
6.
"Abide in Me"
(John 15:4, 7)
We Bear Fruit
LESSON 11
❑
Sunday
June 4
Part 1
"IF YOU
HAVE LOVE"
What is one of the clearest evidences that we are living
followers of the Lord Jesus Christ?
"By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you
have love for one another" (John 13:35 RSV).
It may be natural for love to exist within a family, brother for
brother, parent for child, husband for wife. It is not natural,
however, for the divergent personalities which make up the
church to be marked with mutual love and forbearance, each for
each and all for all. Individuals with different personalities and
backgrounds are drawn together and others are repelled.
Two of the clearest evidences to the world that we are Christ's
and that we are bearing fruit as a result of our life in Him will be
(1) the unity of the church and (2) the mutual love and respect of
all the varying members of that church.
If we are not convinced about the variables within the mem-
bership of the church, why not look at the twelve disciples of
Jesus Christ? How natural was it for them to love one another
and to give each other the place of honor? Do we recall the very
human reaction of the ten when the two asked for the two top
places of honor in the kingdom? (See Matt. 20:20-24.)
THINK IT THROUGH
Can I just decide to make myself love those who are not "my
type"? (See "Testimonies," vol. 7, p. 266.)
Note that loving one another is the evidence to the world that
we are Christ's disciples. We do not make ourselves love one
another, and then say, "Please notice us, this makes us disci-
ples of Christ." Because we are His disciples, we do love one
another, and this fact is an evidence to all men that we are
disciples of Christ.
"In this last meeting with His disciples, the great desire which
Christ expressed for them was that they might love one another
as He had loved them. Again and again He spoke of this.... His
very first injunction when alone with them in the upper chamber
was, 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.' To
the disciples this commandment was new; for they had not
loved one another as Christ had loved them. He saw that new
ideas and impulses must control them; that new principles must
be practiced by them; through His life and death they were to
receive a new conception of love. The command to love one
another had a new meaning in the light of His self-sacrifice. The
whole work of grace is one continual service of love, of self-
denying, self-sacrificing effort."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 677,
678.
FURTHER STUDY
Fundamentals of Christian Education,
p. 51;
The Ministry of
Healing,
pp. 161-165;
The Sanctified Life,
p. 82.
90
We Bear Fruit
LESSON 11
❑
Monday
June 5
Part 2
"THAT THE
WORLD
MAY KNOW"
What close parallel to love within the church is evidence to
the world of the effectiveness of Christ's mission?
"The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them,
that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in
me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may
know that thou hast sent me and that thou hast loved them
even as thou hast loved me" (John 17:22, 23, RSV).
Love and unity are almost twin experiences. It would be ex-
tremely difficult to think of a situation where love could reign
and unity not result: or where unity exists without love being
present unless the unity were of the superficial variety for
mutual self-interest (like the unity between two former national
enemies who become allies in the face of a mutual foe).
Let us note that it is no ordinary unity that is here made an
evidence to the world of the effectiveness of Christ's mission.
The unity is of the caliber and character of the oneness between
Christ and His Father. One would hesitate to give expression to
such a thought were it not given us in Holy Scripture. But that is
indeed Christ's prayer (for this is part of His great intercessory
prayer) that His disciples should be one in the same way that
Christ and His Father are one—obviously we in our sphere, and
the members of the Godhead in their sphere.
THINK IT THROUGH
Does unity require conformity?
If by conformity we have in mind lack of conviction, surrender
of conscience, a fawning adulation of those in position, then—
No. On the other hand, how can a person who is automatically
against what someone else is for think that he is in any way a
part of the answer to Christ's prayer for His church?
"When men are bound together, not by force or self-interest,
but by love, they show the working of an influence that is above
every human influence. Where this oneness exists, it is evidence
that the image of God is being restored in humanity, that a new
principle of life has been implanted. It shows that there is power
in the divine nature to withstand the supernatural agencies of
evil, and that the grace of God subdues the selfishness inherent
in the natural heart."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 678.
"We must study the truth for ourselves. No living man should
be relied upon to think for us. No matter who it is, or in what
position he may be placed, we are not to look upon any man as a
perfect criterion for us. We are to counsel together, and to be
subject to one another; but at the same time we are to exercise
the ability God has given us to learn what is truth."—Counsels
to Writers and Editors,
p. 45.
FURTHER STUDY
Steps to Christ,
"Rejoicing in the Lord," p. 115;
Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, p. 375.
91
We Bear Fruit
LESSON 11
❑
Tuesday
June 6
Part 3
"I AM THE
VINE"
What is the relationship between the fruitful follower and
the Lord Himself?
"I am the vine, you are the branches: He who abides in me,
and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit: for apart from me you
can do nothing" (John 15:5, RSV).
Perhaps in no other place in Scripture is the relationship
between Christ and His follower more clearly illustrated and
more fully expounded than in His illustration of the vine and the
branches. And if there is any one thing more than another that is
stressed in this illustration, it is that the branches should be
fruitful.
It was particularly significant that Christ would give this illus-
tration to His disciples on that night on which He was to be
betrayed. Within a very few hours He was to be taken from them
as they each fled in search of self-preservation. Yet He intended
that they were to be as close to Him as branches are to a vine.
"The connection of the branch with the vine, He said, repre-
sents the relation you are to sustain to Me. The scion is en-
grafted into the living vine, and fiber by fiber, vein by vein, it
grows into the vine stock. The life of the vine becomes the life of
the branch."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 675.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the major requirement of the branch if it is to be
fruitful?
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye
abide in me" (John 15:4).
How does the principle of unity apply in the illustration of the
vine and the branches?
"The branches of the vine cannot blend into each other; they
are individually separate; yet every branch must be in fellowship
with every other if they are united in the same parent stock. They
all draw nourishment from the same source; they drink in the
same life-giving properties. So each branch of the True Vine is
separate and distinct, yet all are bound together in the parent
stock. There can be no division. They are all linked together by
His will to bear fruit wherever they can find place and opportun-
ity. But in order to do this, the worker must hide self. He must not
give expression to his own mind and will. He is to express the
mind and will of Christ."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 5, p. 1143.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 5, pp. 228-232.
92
We Bear Fruit
LESSON 11
❑
Wednesday
June 7
Part 4
What interest does the heavenly Father have in the fruitful-
"MY FATHER ness of the branches?
TH
E
GARDENER'"
"I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every
barren branch of mine he cuts away; and every fruiting branch
he cleans, to make It more fruitful still" (John 15:1, 2, NEB).
It is significant that the heavenly Father is portrayed as the
Husbandman, or the Gardener. The gardener controls the vine.
The heavenly Father is concerned about the fruitfulness of the
individual branches of the True Vine. He supervises the grafting
of the branches into the parent stock. It is He who prunes the
branches (purges them) in order that they might become in-
creasingly fruitful.
Think of it, those of you who tend plants and trees—whether
for a livelihood or as a hobby—the heavenly Father watching
tenderly over His vine and overthe brancheS! With what care the
skillful horticulturist grafts buds into the parent stock! How
carefully he binds about the union to exclude undesirable ele-
ments (insects, bacteria), to shelter the new part of the plant
from undue stress that might destroy the union that is taking
place, as fiber by fiber and vein by vein the life of the vine
becomes the life of the branch. It is the heavenly Father who
takes this kind of care.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
What means does the Father use to prune the human
branches?
"From the chosen twelve who had followed Jesus, one as a
withered branch was about to be taken away; the rest were to
pass under the pruning knife of bitter trial. Jesus with solemn
tenderness explained the purpose of the husbandman. The
pruning will cause pain, but it is the Father who applies the
knife. He works with no wanton hand or indifferent heart. There
are branches trailing upon the ground; these must be cut loose
from the earthly supports to which their tendrils are fastening.
They are to reach heavenward, and find their support in
God."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 676, 677.
Compare church membership with fruitfulness.
"While the.graft is outwardly united with the vine, there may
be no vital connection. Then there will be no growth or fruitful-
ness. So there may be an apparent connection with Christ
without a real union with Him by faith. A profession of religion
places men in the church, but the character and conduct show
whether they are in connection with Christ. If they bear no fruit,
they are false branches. Their separation from Christ involves a
ruin as complete as that represented by the dead branch."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 676.
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 284, 285;
Steps to Christ,
"Grow-
ing Up Into Christ," pp. 68-75.
93
We Bear Fruit
LESSON 11
❑
Thursday
June 8
Part 5
What is the one purpose of the vine in supporting its
"BEAR MUCH branches?
FRUIT"
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so
shall ye be my disciples" (John 15:8).
There is only one purpose in the fiery trial, the numbing
disappointment, the almost overwhelming sorrow, that you
have just endured. The gardener does not carelessly wield the
knife. He does not permit trial and tragedy to come to us indis-
criminately. Neither, on the other hand, is there any assurance
that we are automatically immune from the common tragedies
that may occur at random throughout the human race.
Jesus Himself came to this world to do His Father's will, to
bear fruits of righteousness in human flesh, to demonstrate the
character of God and the possibility of man. It is only natural
then that those who would constitute His branches would have
the same purpose, the same reason for existence.
"God desires to manifest through you the holiness, the be-
nevolence, the compassion, of His own character."—The
De-
sire of Ages,
p. 677.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is fruit bearing the result of our own striving?
"The Saviour does not bid the disciples labor to bear fruit. He
tells them to abide in Him. 'If ye abide in Me,' He says, 'and My
words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you.' It is through the word that Christ abides in His follow-
ers. This is the same vital union that is represented by eating His
flesh and drinking His blood. The words of Christ are spirit and
life. Receiving them, you receive the life of the Vine. You live 'by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.' Matt. 4:4.
The life of Christ in you produces the same fruits as in Him.
Living in Christ, adhering to Christ, supported by Christ, draw-
ing nourishment from Christ, you bear fruit after the similitude
of Christ."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 677. (Emphasis supplied.)
What was Peter's summary of Christ's earthly life? Acts
10:38.
"It was not on the cross only that Christ sacrificed Himself for
humanity. As He 'went about doing good' (Acts 10:38), every
day's experience was an outpouring of His life. In one way only
could such a life be sustained. Jesus lived in dependence upon
God and communion with
Him."—Education,
p. 80.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"The Lord's Vineyard," p. 301;
Fun-
damentals of Christian Education,
p. 118.
94
We Bear Fruit
LESSON 11
❑
Friday
June 9
Part 6
"ABIDE IN ME"
How does Jesus abide in the believer?
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye
abide in me."
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:4, 7).
If by His word Jesus abides in us, then we abide in Him by faith
in what He says. Ellen G. White wrote, "This spiritual relation [of
abiding in Jesus] can be established only by the exercise of
personal faith. This faith must express on our part supreme
preference, perfect reliance, entire consecration. Our will must
be wholly yielded to the divine will, our feelings, desires, inter-
ests, and honor identified with the prosperity of Christ's king-
dom and the honor of His cause, we constantly receiving grace
from Him, and Christ accepting gratitude from us."—
Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 229.
Faith determines the whole life! To have faith is to be wholly.
for Christ in every possible way.
What result does John attribute to faith? 1 John 5:4.
This is a faith that works by love and purifies the soul. It is an
active faith, a fruit-bearing faith. But it is a dependent faith—as
dependent as a branch upon the parent vine. (See
The Desire of
Ages,
p. 314.)
THINK IT THROUGH
What does it mean to abide in Christ and He in us?
"Abiding in Christ means a constant receiving of His Spirit, a
life of unreserved surrender to His service. The channel of
communication must be open continually between man and his
God. As the vine branch constantly draws the sap from the living
vine, so are we to cling to Jesus, and receive from Him by faith
the strength and perfection of His own character."—The
Desire
of Ages,
p. 676.
What are the characteristics of that faith which will give us
victory over the world?
"It
is not enough to believe
about
Christ; we must believe
in
Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces
Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to
ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. But saving faith is a
transaction, by which those who receive Christ join themselves
in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith
means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul
becomes a conquering power."—Gospel
Workers,
p. 261.
FURTHER STUDY
Counsels to Teachers,
p. 182;
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp.
335, 381.
95
LESSON 12 June 11-17
"According to his promise we wait
for new heavens and a new earth in
which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter
3:13, RSV).
The fulfillment of this text will bring
the final fulfillment of all the promises
of the Scriptures that pertain to our
salvation. When the new heavens and
the new earth in which righteousness
dwells shall have been established,
the great controversy between Christ
and Satan will have come to its
victorious end. Those who have
accepted all of the promises of God for
salvation will delight in this new home
where righteousness will dwell. It will
be "the home of justice" (NEB). Man
lost his first home in which
righteousness dwelt because of his
sin. When the plan of salvation has run
full circle, man will be restored to a
home of justice.
The apostle Peter has reminded us
earlier in his epistle that while men
count God's promises as slack or slow
of fulfillment, we must not deceive
ourselves into thinking that they will
never meet fulfillment. The
antediluvians were confident that the
earth would never be destroyed by
water, but nevertheless the clay came
when it happened. Just so certainly,
r says Peter, will the day come when
"the heavens will pass away with a
loud noise, and the elements will be
dissolved with fire, and the earth and
the works that are upon it will be
burned up" (verse 10, RSV). Many are
troubled by what seems an inordinate
delay in the fulfillment of these
promises. Perhaps in Peter's day some
were already becoming weary with
awaiting their fulfillment. But Peter
assures them that the day will come.
With the Lord time is not a problem,
for with Him, "one day is as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one
day" (verse 8, RSV).
But while we view with regret the
seeming delay in Jesus' return, we
should remember the seriousness of
closing the door of mercy. God finds
no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
With Him it should be our desire, our
supreme desire, that all come to
repentance.
Of all people on the face of the
earth, Seventh-day Adventists should
be living witnesses to their
expectation of the coming of the Lord.
No other people at any time in earth's
history have had more light flooded
upon their way. Perhaps that is
because no people have needed more
in terms of what they have to meet in
the conflict with the enemy of all
souls.
Will we be at home in "the home of
justice" (2 Peter 3:13, NEB)? That will
depend upon our relationship to
justice and righteousness here and
now. But God has given us
unbelievably great promises that are
sufficient to transform our lives and to
make us righteous by faith in Jesus, so
that in Him we can be and will be at
home in a world in which
righteousness dwells continually and
perfectly.
We have really been studying many
of the great promises in the lessons
already covered this quarter, but this
week let us begin to summarize and in
a special way appropriate to ourselves
the reality of God's promises.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
"Exceeding Great . . . Promises"
(2 Peter 1:3, 4)
2.
"No Wise Cast Out"
(John 6:37)
3.
"Help My Unbelief"
(Mark 9:24)
4.
"The Father . . . Loves You"
(John 16:27)
5.
"I Have Overcome"
(John 16:33)
6.
"We Have an Advocate"
(1 John 2:1)
We Have Great
Promises
LESSON 12
❑
Sunday
June 11
Part 1
What is Peter's description of God's promises?
"EXCEEDING
GREAT . . .
"According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
PROMISES" that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of
him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these
ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3, 4).
It is as though Peter reached out for words that are not in
language in his effort to ascribe sufficient greatness and pre-
ciousness to the promises of God. How great is "exceeding
great"? And how precious is "exceeding ... precious"? There is
no top limit to the measure of these promises. They are available
"through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ" (verse 1). They are ours only because of "his divine
power" (verse 3). Then comes the incredible assurance that
through the acceptance, the claiming of these unbelievably
great promises, we actually become "partakers of the divine
nature."
Now we need to remind ourselves constantly that, in the
person of His Son Jesus Christ, God came down and took upon
Him our human nature with its risks, its weaknesses, its
liabilities. And that is incomprehensible enough! But for the
Lord to indicate that we poor sinners can, by His grace, receive
His great promises and in receiving them become partakers of
the divine nature—that is almost too much for our feeble human
comprehension and vision to grasp.
THINK IT THROUGH
What condition must be met by those who would partake of
the divine nature in connection with the acceptance of God's
great promises?
"Let every one who desires to be a partaker of the divine
nature appreciate the fact that he must escape the corruption
that is in the world through lust. There must be a constant,
earnest struggling of the soul against the evil imaginings of the
mind. There must be a steadfast resistance of temptation to sin
in thought or act.... We should meditate upon the mission of
Him who came to save His people from their sins. By constantly
contemplating heavenly themes, our faith and love will grow
stronger. Our prayers will be more and more acceptable to God,
because they will be more and more mixed with faith and love.
They will be more intelligent and fervent. There will be mote
constant confidence in Jesus, and you will have a daily, living
experience in the willingness and power of Christ to save unto
the uttermost all that come unto God by Him."—Ellen G. White
Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol. 3, p. 1145.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 123, 671, 675.
98
We Have Great Promises
LESSON 12
❑
Monday
June 12
Part 2
"NO WISE
CAST OUT"
THINK IT THROUGH
Is there any reason for us to question Christ's willingness to
receive us?
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).
This is a pure and unadorned promise of God. It has no
conditions, no qualifications other than an attitude on our part
of believing what He says. He invites us to come. We believe that
He means what He says. We come. As we come, we are assured
that we will not be cast out. He will never turn us away. Does it
not remind us of the other illustration where Christ is knocking
at the heart's door, and gives assurance that, if any will hear His
voice and open the door, He will come in? That is the mirror
image of the promise we have before us today.
What inherited and cultivated tendencies toward evil make
it seem difficult for me to come to Jesus? Should these pre-
vent my acceptance of the "exceeding great and precious
promises"?
"It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us
strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God
has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resist-
ing every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they
lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these
souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the
mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to
Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He
walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith
comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, 'Him that
cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 429.
Should I try to improve before I come fully to the Lord? (See
Luke 15:18.)
"Do not listen to the enemy's suggestion to stay away from
Christ until you have made yourself better; until you are good
enough to come to God. If you wait until then, you will never
come. When Satan points to your filthy garments, repeat the
promise of Jesus, 'Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast
out.'
"—Christ's Object Lessons,
pp. 205, 206.
"Let none look to self, as though they had power to save
themselves. Jesus died for us because we were helpless to do
this. In Him is our hope, our justification, our righteousness.
When we see our sinfulness we should not despond and fear
that we have no Saviour, or that He has no thoughts of mercy
toward us. At this very time He is inviting us to come to Him in
our helplessness and be
saved."—Patriarchs and Prophets,
p.431.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Lost and Is Found," pp. 202-206.
99
We Have Great Promises
LESSON 12
❑
Tuesday
June 13
Part 3
"HELP MY
UNBELIEF"
"Immediately the father of the child cried out, and said 'I
believe; help my unbelief!' " (Mark 9:24, RSV).
If I tell the Lord my problem with unbelief and solicit His
help, will He accept me on such a feeble approach?
It may be difficult to see one of God's exceeding great and
precious promises in this rather negative declaration of faith,
and some who consider themselves strong in faith may be ready
to despise this poor father who confessed to the Saviour his
terrible weakness of unbelief.
We can discover in this father's plea, and in God's response to
it, one of the most exceeding great and precious promises of all,
especially to those who feel themselves exceedingly weak in
faith, those who feel overwhelmed by doubt and unbelief.
The Lord Jesus Christ responded to this pitiful heart cry from
the father whose son was possessed of a "dumb spirit." (See
verse 17.) He rebuked the evil spirit so that it came out of the boy
and left him in normal health and strength.
THINK IT THROUGH
How does the spirit of prophecy turn this declaration of
unbelief into an exceeding great and precious promise?
"Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, 'Lord, I believe; help
Thou
mine unbelief.' You can never perish while you do this—
never."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 429.
Spend whatever time may be necessary to let feeble faith
grasp this glorious assurance. No one need wait for faith. Even
asking the Lord to help and relieve our lack of faith will bring a
quick connection with Heaven and strength for coping with the
powers of darkness. It is our need that argues with Heaven with
undeniable eloquence—nothing else.
What could have cost the life of the demon-possessed son?
Suppose that the father had persisted with the attitude, "If
thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us."
Would Jesus have healed his son? (See Mark 9:22, 23.)
"There is no lack of power on the part of Christ; the healing of
the son depends upon the father's faith. With a burst of tears,
realizing his own weakness, the father casts himself upon
Christ's mercy, with the cry, 'Lord, I believe; help Thou mine
unbelief.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p. 428.
FURTHER STUDY
Fundamentals of Christian Education,
pp. 341, 342;
Prophets
and Kings,
p. 157.
100
We Have Great Promises
LESSON 12
❑
Wednesday
June 14
Part 4
"THE FATHER
. . . LOVES YOU"
THINK IT THROUGH
How does the heavenly Father Himself feel about people?
"The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me
and have believed that I came from the Father" (John 16:27,
RSV).
We have made reference to this point earlier in the quarter.
Too many of us still think of the Father as one to be feared and of
Christ as one to be loved. Jesus spoke the above text to His
disciples in an attempt to comfort them and to prepare them for
the tragedies of Gethsemane and Calvary. Do you believe, my
brother, my sister, that the Father loves
you?
that the
Father
loves you? that the Father
loves
you? Emphasize the words as
we will, this is an assurance to our faith.
Some may say that the Father loves only those who love Christ
and who believe that He came from God. But that is not the
emphasis here. Christ is about to leave His disciples. He is
seeking to direct their faith and trust to the Father—through the
name of the Son, it is true, but still to the Father. They need to
believe and understand before Jesus leaves them that they can
approach the Father, for the Father Himself loves them.
It is like
shalom, shalom.
You've got to believe it. It is true that
the Father can do for those who respond to the love of His Son,
the Sent of God, what He cannot do for those who turn away in
unbelief, even though He lovesthem also. He made and sustains
us all and causes His sun to shine on the wicked as well as upon
the righteous. God has no prejudices and no favorites, but there
is no way for Him to take into His kingdom of righteous-
ness those who do not trust themselves to Him.
Do we need one more and greater assurance of God's love
for us? (See John 3:16.)
" 'And the counsel of peace shall be between Them both.' The
love of the Father, no less than of the Son, is the fountain of
salvation for the lost race. Said Jesus to His disciples before He
went away: 'I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
for the Father Himself loveth you.' John 16:26, 27. God was 'in
Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.' 2 Corinthians 5:19.
And in the ministration in the sanctuary above, 'the counsel of
peace shall be between Them both.' God
so loved
the world,
that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'
"—The Great
Controversy,
pp. 416, 417.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 8, p. 178;
Steps to Christ,
"The Test of
Discipleship," p. 64.
101
We Have Great Promises
LESSON 12
❑
Thursday
June 15
Part 5
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might
"I HAVE
have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
OVERCOME" good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
It is beautiful to read this text in various translations, but they
all concur in the fact that Christ has overcome or conquered the
world. He gives that as the reason why we should be of good
cheer, even though we shall have tribulation in the world, and as
the reason why in the midst of tribulation we may have His
peace—peace in Him.
How does this text become one of the exceeding great and
precious promises whereby we may partake of the divine
nature?
To the extent that He is our victory, He is our conquest of evil.
He is our Master over temptation. He is our sanctification, our
complete holiness. He is our redemption, righteousness, and
wisdom. All of these things He is for us; and because He is these
for us, they are counted to us; they are ours.
What chance have we to be overcomers? In ourselves, none.
In and of ourselves we are like those who are without God and
without hope in the world. But Christ is our victory. Be of good
cheer, He has overcome the world. It is not a question of
whether one of us might yet make it. He has made it; He is our
victory. Do we remember that: "Wonderful—almost too won-
derful for man to comprehend—is the Saviour's sacrifice in our
behalf, shadowed forth in all the sacrifices of the past, in all the
services of the typical sanctuary. And this sacrifice was called
for. When we realize that His suffering was necessary in order to
secure our eternal well-being, our hearts are touched and
melted. He pledged Himself to accomplish our full salvation in a
way satisfactory to the demands of God's justice, and consis-
tent with the exalted holiness of His
law."—Selected Messages,
bk. 1, p. 309.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is some nagging weakness still robbing you of His victory?
"In our own strength it is impossible for us to deny the clamors of
our fallen nature. Through this channel Satan will bring temptation
upon us. Christ knew that the enemy would come to every human
being, to take advantage of hereditary weakness, and by his false
insinuations to ensnare all whose trust is not in God. And by passing
over the ground which man must travel, our Lord has prepared the
way for usto overcome. It is not Hiswill that we should be placed at a
disadvantage in the conflict with Satan. He would not have us intimi-
dated and discouraged by the assaults of the serpent. 'Be of good
cheer,' He says: 'I have overcome the world.' John 16:33."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 122, 123.
FURTHER STUDY
Gospel Workers,
pp. 38, 39;
Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 115.
102
We Have Great Promises
LESSON 12
❑
-
Friday
•
June 16
Part 6
We have been listing this week some of the exceeding great
"WE HAVE AN
and precious promises. By these we may be partakers of the
ADVOCATE"
divine nature. There is no reason for us not to have a life of
victory over temptation and therefore over sin. But God in His
great mercy is fully aware of the weakness of the flesh. He
knows of the persistent desire of the old man of sin to rise from
the grave and be allowed at least a little more time of existence.
Just a little time, and just a feeble existence—anything but
permanent death.
What merciful provision has God made for those who have
set their feet on the path to the kindgom to be overcomers?
"My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1).
THINK IT THROUGH
This exceeding great and precious promise is not written to
unbelievers. It is written to "my little children" or "my children."
It is a term of affection' from the aged apostle John to the
believers in the early church of Jesus Christ. He, too, has re-
corded in this very same letter repeated assurances and evi-
dences that God has made provision for us to overcome sin.
(See 1 John 1:7, for example.) He has written these things to
help them and us to avoid sin. There is no excuse or reason for
sin; but if, having said all of that, we fall into sin, the merciful
God has provided us an Advocate, "Jesus Christ the righteous."
How complete is the provision that my heavenly Father has
delivered me from the power of darkness and accepted me
into the kingdom of His dear Son?
Jesus, our Advocate, takes our place in every needful way.
"The religious services, the prayers, the praise, the penitent
confession of sin ascend from true believers as incense to the
heavenly sanctuary; but passing through the corrupt channels
of humanity, they are so defiled that unless purified by blood,
they can never be of value with God. They ascend not in spotless
purity, and unless the Intercessor who is at God's right hand
presents and purifies all by His righteousness, it is not accepta-
ble to God. All incense from earthly tabernacles must be moist
with the cleansing drops of the blood of Christ. He holds before
the Father the censer of His own merits, in which there is no
taint of earthly corruption. He gathers into this censer the
prayers, the praise, and the confessions of His people, and with
these He puts His own spotless righteousness. Then, perfumed
with the merits of Christ's propitiation, the incense comes up
before God wholly and entirely acceptable. Then gracious
answers are returned."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible
Commentary,
vol. 6, p. 1078.
FURTHER STUDY
Prophets and Kings,
pp. 586-589.
103
LESSON 13 June 18-24
Here God's plan to save sinful men
is made simple, clear, and appealing to
our reason.
Every one of us knows that he
cannot, in, himself, live a life in
harmony with the law of God. What
was originally a law of life to us
became, through the disobedience of
our first parents and our own
disobedience, the law of sin and
death. Heaven has made provision
that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus will set us free from the law of sin
and death. Jesus Christ came "in the
likeness of sinful flesh" and
condemned sin in the flesh. He did
this by living a righteous life through
constant dependence upon His Father
and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Now, the righteousness of the law can
be fulfilled in us as it was in Him.
The requirement on our part is that
we walk not after the flesh but after the
Spirit. He continues to show us that it
is simply contrary to our nature for us
to be at peace with God or to be in
harmony with His law. Thus we cannot
please God in our own nature and in
our own strength. But please notice
that the purpose for which God sent
His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh
was "that the righteousness of the law
might be fulfilled in us." (See Romans
8:1-9.) At first glance that may seem
contrary to the title of this lesson,
"We Are Righteous by Faith." On the
contrary, the title declares the only
possible way by which man can be
righteous. "Because the carnal mind is
enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither
indeed can be" (verse 7). It is as plain
and simple as that. We cannot obey
God's righteous law. We cannot live
righteously. And it is not a question of
trying a little harder, praying a little
longer, reading the Bible more fre-
quently. What, then, is the solution?
The only solution is that which
Heaven has already provided by
sending Jesus, the eternal Son of God,
in human form and flesh, with the
decision announced before He came,
"Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 God"
(Heb. 10:9). In this flesh He dwelt as
the God-man, living in perfect
harmony with His Father's will 'in all
things. After some 33 years He
suffered and died;as the be
-
arer of the
sins of the whole world. Because He
bore our sins, He became the first one
in all eternity to partake of that
dreadful cup of separation from His
Father. The burden of that separation
broke His heart as He gave up. His life
on the cross. Divine power was
rightfully His as God, because He had
not sinned as man. So death could not
hold Him in its grasp. He arose victor
over death and the grave and
ascended to His Father to become our
Intercessor, our Mediator, our High
Priest. When He has ceased His work
of mediation and all decisions have
been made for eternal life or for
eternal death, He will come for His
own. They will never be separated
from Him again, never shut away from
communion with Him because of
disobedience.
He who accepts this provision which.
God has made in Jesus Christ
recognizes that in this alone is there
the possibility of his being counted
righteous and made righteous—here
is the means to be righteous by faith.
As we have said earlier this quarter,
faith is not our savior. Faith does not
earn salvation. It is the simple matter
that if we do not believe we will not be
expecting anything from God and He
will force nothing upon us.
As we move into our study this
week, let us remember the cry of the
father of the lad possessed with a
dumb spirit: "Lord I believe, help thou
mine unbelief." And let us remember
also the inspired assurance, "You can
never perish while you do
this—never."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 429.
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through
-
the flesh, God sending his
wn Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the
ghtousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
pirit" (Rom. 8:3, 4).
AllY HIGHLIGHTS-
Filthy Rags!'
''Citiifrifed Righteous
(Gen. 15:6)
Righteousness and Law
(Ps019:142)
..f'Except Your
'
.
Righteousness",
'(Matt. 5:20)
f'Righteousn'ess .
of
(Rom.5:30).
Doing
Right
(1 John 3:7)
.
We Are Righteous by Faith
LESSON 13
❑
Sunday
June 18
Part 1
How does the prophet Isaiah classify human righteous-
"AS FILTHY RAGS" nesses?
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteous-
nesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our
iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isa. 64:6).
Isaiah was writing of the sinfulness of Judah. (See verses
9-12.) But the condition of Judah is the condition of all human-
ity. In the frankness of the Hebrew approach to life, this is
Heaven's estimate of our righteousnesses.
"Unclean thing.
Heb.
tame' ,
an adjective meaning 'unclean.'
Standing by itself, as here, it may refer either to an unclean thing
or to an 'unclean person.'
Tame'
is the word that appears re-
peatedly throughout Leviticus describing ceremonial unclean-
ness. Left to himself, man cannot wash away the impurity of
sin—he remains unclean.
"Filthy rags.
Literally, 'as a menstruous garment.' Man's best
efforts produce, not righteousness, but imperfection."—SDA
Bible Commentary,
vol. 4, p. 327.
THINK IT THROUGH
If this is Heaven's estimate of our righteousnesses, how do
our unrighteousnesses look?
After quoting Isaiah 64:6, Psalm 51:10, and Ezekiel 36:26, 27,
God's servant writes: "Nicodemus had read these scriptures
with a clouded mind; but he now [in the presence of Jesus]
began to comprehend their meaning. He saw that the most rigid
obedience to the mere letter of the law as applied to the outward
life could entitle no man to enter the kingdom of heaven. In the
estimation of men, his life had been just and honorable; but in
the presence of Christ, he felt that his heart was unclean, and his
life unholy."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 174.
"Everything that we of ourselves can do is defiled by sin.. ..
When we submit ourselves to Christ, the heart is united with His
heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind becomes one with
His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to Him; we live
His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garments of
His righteousness. Then as the Lord looks upon us He sees, not
the fig-leaf garment, not the nakedness and deformity of sin, but
His own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to
the law of
Jehovah."—Christ's Object Lessons,
pp. 311, 312.
What was the reason for the condemnation of the man who
entered the feast without a wedding garment? (See Matt.
22:11-14.)
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies, vol.
2, pp. 177-179.
106
We Are Righteous By Faith
LESSON 13
❑
Monday
June 19
Part 2
What is the earliest biblical reference to righteousness by
COUNTED faith, or being counted righteous?
RIGHTEOUS
"And he [Abram] believed in the Lord; and he counted it to
him for righteousness" (Gen. 15:6).
Some may be surprised that this text is in the Old Testament.
We are aware of the use which the apostle Paul made of it in
Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6 for example. But we often fail to
recognize how much of the New Testament is drawn from and
built upon the Old. Notice that our text does not say that Ab-
ram's belief in the Lord
made
him righteous, but his belief in the
Lord
was counted
to him for righteousness. This is the basic
biblical concept of justification by faith, the term for having
righteousness counted to us—someone else's righteousness.
"Abram was a sinner and needed redemption, as does every
other human being; but when righteousness was imputed to
him, mercy and grace were also extended, effecting the pardon
of his sin and bringing the rewards of righteousness. Here for
the first time the full importance of faith is brought to view. Here
also, for the first time, imputed righteousness is mentioned.
From this point onward both fundamental concepts run
through the Holy Scriptures, to find exhaustive and masterful
treatment by the pen of the apostle Paul (see Rom.
4)."—SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
1, p. 312.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the relationship between faith and actions?
"Thus they [the Israelites] provoked Him [the Lord] to anger
with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them. Then
stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague
was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness
unto all generations for evermore" (Ps. 106:29-31).
You will recall that on a number of occasions the New Testa-
ment points to the actions of Abraham as the evidence of his
faith, which faith laid hold of the righteousness of God so that
Abraham was counted righteous. It seems important to stress
this matter, because some may feel that
fo
be righteous by faith
is unrelated to daily life. On the other hand, the Scriptures on
numerous occasions state that action is the evidence of faith, as
though it were the basis for the imputed (or counted) righteous-
ness. (See
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 453, 456.)
The experience from the history of Israel referred to by the
apostle Paul "and as recorded in the one hundred fifth and one
hundred sixth psalms, contains lessons of warning that the
people of God in these last days especially need to study. I urge
that these chapters be read at least once every week."—
Testimonies to Ministers,
pp: 98, 99.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies to Ministers,
pp.
98-104.
107
We Are Righteous By Faith
LESSON 13
❑
Tuesday
June 20
Part 3
RIGHTEOUSNESS
AND LAW
How does law fit in to righteousness by faith?
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy
law is the truth" (Ps. 119:142).
In a typical Hebrew parallelism righteousness and law are
made synonymous. The same truth is repeated using different
but similar terms. And when one thinks about it, it is inevitable
that righteousness and law would be synonymous, because the
law of God defines righteousness. It expresses it. It explains it. It
shows the limits and size of it. Until righteousness is described,
it is an empty word. When God made it into a law form that
governs human relationships with man and with God, it became
something tangible, something that touched life and reality. So
it is really impossible to have righteousness by faith divorced
from law.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can we relate righteousness, law, and salvation?
Salvation is not an abstraction. Salvation is salvation from sin.
Sin is without specific definition where there is no law. By the
law is the knowledge of sin. Sin is the transgression of the law
and the plan of salvation provides the means for victory over sin
and its consequences and its power.
"The law of God, from its very nature, is unchangeable. It is a
revelation of the will and the character of its Author. God is love,
and His law is love. Its two great principles are love to God and
love to man. 'Love is the fulfilling of the law.' Romans 13:10. The
character of God is righteousness and truth; such is the nature
of His law. Says the psalmist: 'Thy law is the truth;' all Thy
commandments are righteousness.' Psalm 119:142, 172. And
the apostle Paul declares: 'The law is holy, and the command-
ment holy, and just, and good.' Romans 7:12. Such a law, being
an expression of the mind and will of God, must be as enduring
as its Author."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 467.
How should we define the righteousness which is accepta-
ble with God?
"The righteousness which Christ taught is conformity of
heart and life to the revealed will of God. Sinful men can become
righteous only as they have faith in God and maintain a vital
connection with Him. Then true godliness will elevate the
thoughts and ennoble the life."—The
Desire of Ages, p.
310.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 468, 469.
108
We Are Righteous By Faith
LESSON 13
❑
Wednesday
June 21
Part 4
What false type of righteousness was in evidence in Christ's
"EXCEPT YOUR day?
RIGHTEOUSNESS"
"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye
shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20).
This is a serious indictment coming from the Lord of glory. He
was speaking about men in His day, religious leaders of the
chosen people. Immediately we should ask ourselves: What
kind of righteousness had they?
"The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees consisted in
external adherence to the letter of the law; Christ called for
insight into, and cooperation with, the underlying principles of
the law.... They taught that a man is to be judged by a majority
of his deeds; that is, if his 'good' deeds are in excess of-his evil
deeds, God will adjudge him righteous."—SDA
Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 5, p. 333.
THINK IT THROUGH
What are the warnings for us in the righteousness claimed
by the scribes and Pharisees?
"The greatest deception of the humari mind in Christ's day
was that a mere assent to the truth constitutes righteousness.
. A jealous regard for what is termed theological truth often
accompanies a hatred of genuine truth as made manifest in life.
The darkest chapters of history are burdened with the record of
crimes committed by bigoted religionists. The Pharisees
claimed to be children of Abraham, and boasted of their pos-
session of the oracles of God: yet these advantages did not
preserve them from selfishness, malignity, greed for gain, and
the basest hypocrisy. They thought themselves the greatest
religionists of the world, but their so-called orthodoxy led them
to crucify the Lord of glory.
"The same danger still exists. Many take it for granted that
they are Christians, simply because they subscribe to certain
theological tenets. But they have not brought the truth into
practical life. They have not believed and loved it, therefore they
have not received the power and grace that come through
sanctification of the truth. Men may profess faith in the truth;
but if it does not make them sincere, kind, patient, forbearing,
heavenly-minded, it is a curse to its possessors, and through
their influence it is a curse to the world."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 309, 310.
"The only true faith is that which 'worketh by love' (Galatians
5:6) to purify the soul. It is as leaven that transforms the
character."—Thoughts
From the Mount of Blessing,
p. 53.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Spirituality of the
Law," (Matthew 5:20), pp. 53-55.
109
We Are Righteous By Faith
LESSON 13
❑
Thursday
June 22
Part 5
In contrast to Israel as a whole, what had Gentiles found
"RIGHTEOUSNESS with respect to salvation?
. . OF FAITH"
"What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed
not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even
the righteousness which is of faith" (Rom. 9:30).
We said at the outset of the lesson for this week that there is
no other way for a human being to be righteous than to be
righteous by faith. Paul is emphasizing that point here in his
epistle to the Romans when he speaks of Israel, which followed
after the law of righteousness but failed to attain to that law. He
raises the question as to why they failed and gives the answer,
"Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works
of the law" (verse 32). So Israel's general failure to achieve to
the very righteousness which she professed, and which she
sought, is due to the fact that she sought it by works, her own
works, rather than by faith in Christ Jesus, the only truly and
perfectly obedient Man.
As we have been studying the simple steps in coming to
Christ for salvation this quarter, how shall we assess our own
righteousness? Where do we stand with regard to righteous-
ness?
"By the wedding garment in the parable [see Matt. 22:1-14] is
represented the pure, spotless character which Christ's true
followers will possess. To the church it is given 'that she should
be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white,' not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing.' The fine linen, says the Scripture, 'is
the righteousness of saints.' Rev. 19:8; Eph. 5:27. It is the righ-
teousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that
through faith is imparted to all who receive Him as their per-
sonal Saviour."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 310.
THINK IT THROUGH
Have you ever earnestly and prayerfully said to yourself,
"Christ is
my
righteousness"?
It may take continual repetition of that statement and prayer
and study regarding it, before the human heart can find the
humility to say "That is true. I know that it is true. Christ
is
my
righteousness." This is the experience to which each must
come in order to be counted righteous by faith.
God and His Son Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, have told us
that we can only be righteous by faith. Do we believe it? Do we
accept it? Do we claim it? "Christ is my righteousness."
The sweetest joy ever known will flood the soul that believes
and claims this offer of the righteousness of Jesus Christ by
faith.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 350, 351.
110
We Are Righteous By Faith
LESSON 13
❑
Friday
June 23
Part 6
According to the apostle John, what is it that shows a man to
DOING RIGHT be righteous?
"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righ-
teousness is righteous, even as he is righteous" (1 John 3:7).
That is what righteousness is. It is right doing. This is not to
say we do right in our own strength or by our own unaided will or
in our own human nature just as it is.
"Many are losing the right way, in consequence of thinking
that they must climb to heaven, that they must do something to
merit the favor of God. They seek to make themselves better by
their own unaided efforts. This they can never accomplish.
Christ has made the way by dying our sacrifice, by living our
example, by becoming our great high priest. He declares, 'I am
the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6). If by any effort of our
own we could advance one step toward the ladder, the words of
Christ would not be true. But when we accept Christ, good
works will appear as fruitful evidence that we are in the way of
life, that Christ is our way, and that we are treading the true path
that leads to
heaven."—Selected Messages,
bk. 1, p. 368.
May we close this quarter's lessons as we opened them—in
gratitude for the simplicity of the instruction which God has
given whereby we may know how to come to Christ. While many
are asking where Jesus is and how they may find Him, He stands
knocking, knocking at the heart's door. Why not let us say with
Ellen White as we go to open the door of our heart, "Come in,
dear Lord."
If she was so thankful for the simplicity of the instruction
given as to how to find Him, perhaps we should be simple
enough in our faith to find Him on the same terms. Then, when
He enters, He comes not to find but to make "this troubled
room" a dwelling worthy of Himself. When the branch is grafted
into the True Vine, Jesus undertakes to make it fruitful. The
divine nature is imparted to us, of which we partake. As the fruit
of the Spirit is produced, and the Father does the pruning, we
come to reflect the likeness of our dear Saviour more and more
perfectly. But all the time, the nearer we come to Him the more
faulty we see ourselves to be and the more utterly we trust in His
righteousness, which is counted to us for righteousness. So let
us look unto Jesus, "the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb.
12:2).
111
•
S
Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult Lessons for the
third quarter of 1978 will be helped by the following outline in studying the first two.
lessons. Title of the series is "Education for Eternity."
First Lesson
The School in a Garden. Memory text, Gen. 2:8.
1.
The Environment (Gen. 2:8)
2.
The Teacher (Gen. 2:19; 3:8)
3.
The Subject Matter (Gen. 2:19, 20)
4.
Social Development (Gen. 2:18-22)
5.
Character Development (Gen. 2:9, 16, 17)
6.
Productive Activity (Gen. 2:15)
Second Lesson
The Family—An Educational Center. Memory text, Gen. 18:19.
1.
Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 12:8)
2.
Jacob and Joseph (Gen. 37:2-4)
3.
Jochebed and Moses (Heb. 11:23-27)
4.
Hannah and Samuel (1 Sam. 1:27, 28)
5.
Daniel's Home (Dan. 1:3, 4, 8)
6.
Mary and Elisabeth (Luke 2:39-41, 52)
Lessons in 3raille
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©get
ha
-
tiaz
1ENh
Five loaves and two fish.
Just enough to feed one
hungry child. But Jesus
asked for it and the little
boy gave it gladly.
Suddenly he was part of a
miracle as thousands
marveled at the way the
Master multiplied his gift
to feed them all.
God is still multiplying gifts
today. This Sabbath, when
the Sabbath School offering
is taken, give God
something to work with.
When your offering is given
gladly, you too can
become part of a miracle!
Open Heart
Let God's love show through your giving.
SONGA
HOSPITAL
LUDUMBASHI
UNION
OFFICE
Church
S.&
Unions
Populstion Churches limb.
filemb.
Central African
7,560,500
573 106,617 215,072
South African
7,665,653
156 15,614 16,591
South-East Africa 4,916,020
169 37,531 65,297
Southern
19,800,000 182 14,506 55,573
Zaire
23,941,934 244 45,004 98,577
Zambesi
7,044,979 256 44,056 73,615
Zambia
4,000,000 164 27,665 102,751
Division Totals 75,169,286 1,784 291,273 653,476
Figura as 40 Decerntor, 1174
•